Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen
by DZ2
Summary: Abandoned by his family, Harry was half-prepared for a life of misery and solitude, until fate dealt him a hand that turns him into Death, first of a new breed and a new generation of Horsemen. Needless to say that Dumbledore and Voldemort won't be expecting THIS Harry. Harmony; Wrong BWL; AU of all 7 books
1. The Riders Are Chosen

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all copyright belongs to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter.

**Plot: **Response to ADVPhoenix's Challenge: Abandoned by his family, Harry was half-prepared for a life of misery and solitude, until fate dealt him a hand that turns him into Death, first of a new breed and a new generation of Horsemen. Needless to say that Dumbledore and Voldemort won't be expecting THIS Harry.

**Author's Note: **Before any of my faithful readers have a go about me starting ANOTHER new story, I should say that this is all ADVPhoenix's fault; that brilliant-minded author posted a challenge on my forum and, after reading it, I HAD to respond ASAHP – As Soon As Humanly Possible – so don't worry about my focus or my continuity. I do the best I can with what I've got;

**Challenge Information: **Harry, at a young age, gets his hands on a mystical object also known as Death's Scythe, although it's not just Harry who gets mystical items: 3 others do. Hermione who gets a stone of resurrection, Luna who acquires a 'Death Stick' and Neville finds a Cloak of invisibility. With these items these four young witches and wizards become the four horsemen, thus hell on earth ensues:

Harry – Death – Scythe which can destroy souls and horcruxes with a single swipe.

Hermione – War – Resurrection stone which can summon demons and armies of the undead.

Neville – Pestilence – Cloak of invisibility which will aid him in spreading deadly plagues.

Luna – Famine – Death stick in which she would torture her victims to the points where their hearts would implode.

**Rules: **Harry must be in an orphanage when he acquires the scythe

H/Hr N/L

Ron or Ginny becoming a friend

Must not side with Dumbledore or Voldemort

**Must include – better known as Guidelines:**

Ron getting tortured by Luna

Harry beheading Dumbledore

Hermione summoning a demon army to fight an army of vampires and/or werewolves (Voldemort's)

Neville casting a disease curse upon Draco during a duel which later kills him

Sirius becoming Lord Azkaban, controlling the island and Dementors and such

Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna make the Garden of Eden there home

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and it's sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

Chapter 1: The Riders Are Chosen

Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world;

Great Britain's communities were split down the middle as half of the people of Britain were going about their normal lives while the other half were doing something that, while it seemed normal, was far from it. For they were celebrating: the half of the British Community locked in celebration were under the assumptions and reasons that the Dark Lord Voldemort had finally met his end, thus bringing about the end of a reign of terror and fear that had left this side of the community divided for years.

There were whispers and rumours about what had finally killed him, but the key element to the story was always the same: that the now-late Dark Lord had gone to Godric's Hollow, to the home of Lily and James Potter and, as was his normal motive, he had incapacitated them and then turned his wand on the Potter's two siblings, Harry and Jason Potter. After that, he had cast a Killing Curse and, in the aftermath that followed, there had been a powerful magical explosion and the Dark Lord had been vanquished, leaving two crying boys, one of whom – little Jason Godric Potter – had been scarred with a bolt of lightning on his forehead while Harry James Potter had been left unscarred.

It had been Albus Dumbledore that had announced it: Jason Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived!

And, while the world had celebrated and Albus Dumbledore, a friend of the family and headmaster of Hogwarts had seen to the now-hailed hero, he had no idea how his declaration would affect the future and how one mistake would move to bring about a state that the world had avoided for many hundreds of years.

Albus Dumbledore's choosing of the wrong Boy-Who-Lived would, one day, bring the Wizarding World to its knees…at the hands of the Lords and Ladies of the Apocalypse.

However, none of them, not Lily, James, Harry _or_ Jason knew that such an outcome would happen:

Instead, their minds and lives were turned around by another little announcement five years following that fated night…

_**FourHorsemen**_

"Are you sure that there's no alternative?"

"I'm afraid not, Lily," Albus Dumbledore answered, his voice calm despite the joy he was feeling at how easy this was being, "Now that both boys are approaching their seventh year of age, their magic should be coming out and you've seen it. Jason holds great potential while Harry doesn't play well with others and has shown no sign of such magical potential. He chooses to lock himself in his room and doesn't even speak to Sirius or Remus when they see him."

"But…to abandon him?" asked Lily, her voice filled with shock as she looked out of the window of Potter Manor to the grounds; her sons, both of whom seemed to contrast one another perfectly, were _apparently _enjoying the brief springtime sunshine. "What…what would James say?"

"I've already spoken to James," Albus answered, knowing that his loyal Order general would stand with him without question. "And he agrees that it is for the greater good: he says that Harry also shows signs of conversing with…with Slytherins and, as a Gryffindor-proud family, you know how dangerous that is. If…if Voldemort should ever come back, Harry's…_affiliations_ would leave Jason in great danger; he agrees that an orphanage is the best option. Either that, Lily, or sending Harry to the one place that you yourself have said you wouldn't wish on either boy: Petunia and her family."

"No!" Lily gasped, knowing how her sister would treat a magical sibling, "We haven't had a meeting with Petunia in years, Albus: no matter what, we swore that neither boy would see her or her husband."

"Then," Dumbledore sighed, feigning defeat and showing what could be described as compassion, "You _know_ what you must do, Lily: for Jason's sake."

Lily did know…but she didn't have to like it…

_**FourHorsemen**_

It took a maximum of twenty seconds to deal with Harry;

First, during dinner, Lily slipped her son a sleeping potion and sent him to his room where, at precisely seven-o-clock, she and James Apparated with Harry to an orphanage recommended by Dumbledore for dealing with magical children. Conjuring a blanket to keep her son warm, Lily kissed his forehead and, standing up, she faced her husband as she told him, "I don't like this, Jay-Jay."

"It's for Jason's sake, Lily-flower," James told her, a part of him not all that concerned with leaving the raven-haired, emerald-eyed boy with people that, hopefully, would teach him what it meant to be part of the family. Spending all his time with James' hated enemy and asking Sirius about his family had told James enough: Harry was a Slytherin, born and bred and it wouldn't surprise James to discover that the brooding brat wasn't even his son.

Besides, he wasn't as strong or as sociably-available as Jason and that was bad news for James: his career as an Auror took up most of his time, but, also, as Lord Potter, he had an image to protect both as a Ministry member and the Father of the Boy-Who-Lived. So, in James' mind, he'd be forgiven for not shedding tears or showing any real emotions in the case of abandoning the younger of the twins: this was for the best and, besides, they didn't even act like brothers.

Jason was all that mattered; Harry…Harry was nothing.

And, with a few little hints and a couple of changes in his treatment to Lily, James knew that he could make her see that, just like Albus had said, it was all for the Greater Good.

Taking his wife's hand, James Apparated away from the orphanage, neither him nor Lily taking note of the name of the place that Albus had apparently recommended:

Wool's Orphanage…

_**FourHorsemen**_

"Happy birthday to me…happy birthday to me…happy birthday dear Harry…happy birthday to me…"

So sang a now-nine-year-old Harry as he sat on the bed in the room where he'd lived and breathed the same air as other children for over a year, his hands wringing at the thought of what torments lay ahead for him. Ever since he'd been abandoned by his family – and it had taken him all of two days to accept that fact – and brought into Wool's with the other children, Harry had become a target for his apparent freakishness and differences.

Unlike the other children, Harry was tall for his age and his raven-black hair, which he preferred to have spiked and messy in contrast to finely-brushed and well-kept, was always a topic for target by others. As well as that, Harry didn't let the other children get to know him nor did he allow himself to be paraded on Adoption Days like some kind of showman's pet. Instead, when such days came around, Harry locked himself in his room, relying on the one key thing that made him different to help him out.

His magic;

Yes, Harry knew that he had magic and he also knew that he had been raised and abandoned by Lily and James Potter: he knew that he had a brother named Jason and that his parents had chosen to ignore him for Jason's apparent fame and prestige. Not to mention the fact that Harry, who was more studious and self-contained than Jason, also held what his former Father had called Slytherin qualities just because Harry had no desire to play Quidditch or show himself off like Jason had done every time he'd learned a new spell or demonstrated some sort of warm affection for his talents.

Even more annoying, if such a thing had been possible, was when his own former brother and former Father had referred to Harry as though he wasn't there when he clearly was sitting in the room with them. These had been the moments where they'd referred to him as Squib and Unworthy and those words had left a cold, dark hole deep within Harry's heart, a hole that had hardened his emotions and left them only on display for those that Harry could trust.

People like his godfather, Severus Snape – whom had been chosen for Harry by Lily without James knowing – or his honorary uncle and – in Harry's opinion – father figure in Jason's godfather, Sirius Black. Though Sirius was Jason's godfather, he'd only been around the kid when James had insisted it and, in the moments where Harry was with Sirius, they'd spoken about things that James and Jason didn't like: the Black Family, for one as well as the use of more powerful magic to get the job done.

Harry _wasn't_ a Marauder: he'd let that rule be known to Sirius in the first real meeting that the two had shared; he wasn't Prongslet or Bambi or whatever stupid name they'd come up with for him. He was Harry: the raven-haired outcast and proverbial Black Sheep of the family because he was just different, which, personally, was just stupid: his difference made him strong, which made him a real wizard and a true warrior, just like the Potter bloodline had always produced.

But _no_: his warrior spirit and strong sense of will and justice weren't good enough for James Rowan Potter: no, he wanted a son that he could spoil and parade around the grounds like a horse in the dressage. He wanted a family that was, in every sense of the word, perfect and as un-dark-spirited as you could get.

For that, Harry had known by the time his eighth birthday had come around: he _hated_ James Potter; he _hated_ Jason Potter and, right at the top of that list, Harry knew: he _hated, despised and wouldn't be happy until he had the head of _Albus Dumbledore in his hands…just so he could kick it through the window of Potter Manor and give James and Jason something to _really_ scream about.

However, through his anger and his wishes for revenge, Harry knew that there was one person that he couldn't hate and that was his Mother, Lily.

No, he couldn't hate her: she'd wanted him safe and she'd wanted to keep him at home where he was loved by her and by Sirius and Remus. For that reason alone, Harry knew that, if he ever did find a way to retrieve his revenge on that closed-minded freak James and his Barbie-doll of a son, then he would spare Lily.

Unless she chose James, of course…

"Congratulations, Potters," he whispered as he lay back on his bed, his eyes, a bright shade of emerald-green that matched the eyes of his Mother, staring at the ceiling as he spoke his self-inflicted vow, "You want a Slytherin for an ex-son: by Mordred, I swear that I will give you what you wish…one way or another…"

Harry didn't know why, but, as he finished his promise, he suddenly found himself getting _very_ tired…

_**FourHorsemen**_

'…_Come…to me…_'

The soft voice woke Harry almost as quickly as he had closed his eyes; yet, when he opened his eyes, he found that he was no longer lying on his bed within the Orphanage. Now, he was lying on a cold, black-stone floor with a single shaft of blood-red light shining through an opening just in front of him.

Getting to his feet, Harry looked around warily: he didn't recognise where he was standing, but there _was_ something eerily…perfect about the place; what that was, Harry didn't know, but he _did_ know that, somehow, he was meant to be here.

'_Come to me…collect me…become me…_'

The voice returned and, as he looked around, Harry's left eyebrow raised in curiosity as he recognised that the voice was coming from the shaft of red light; narrowing his eyes, Harry approached the light, his mouth finally able to find his voice as he asked, "Who's there?"

'_One that can give you your desire, little master,_' the voice answered, '_Only if you come to me…if you collect me and if you become me…_'

"Become you?" asked Harry, surprising himself as he found his feet moving him closer to the red shaft of light, the shaft now turning into a door-sized wall of red light that seemed to creak open as Harry approached, "What do you mean? Who are you?"

'_I am…the one who walks in shadow…and yet commands the fires of light…_' the voice answered, something about the words striking a chord within Harry as he stepped through the red door, only to find himself standing on a narrow stone pathway, the walls around him appearing to glow and, for a second, Harry thought that they moved. Listening for the voice, Harry wasn't disappointed as it told him, '_Come to me…little master…come and claim me…and the power to claim…your revenge…shall be yours._'

"And what do you get out of this?" asked Harry, remaining on the stone platform where he stood as he looked around, "What price will I have to pay to become you?"

'_None more than the eventual price that all men pay,_' the voice answered, Harry, who had heard many riddles and many different explanations before, knew what the voice was referring to with that one. The price that all men pay was a reference to the entity and state of life otherwise known as Death: so he would one day die when this…this thing decided that he had outlived his usefulness?

When would that be?

When his revenge was complete?

"I ask you again," Harry muttered, his voice carrying through the darkness, "Who are you?"

'_I have no name…little master…_' the voice told him, its words making the hairs on Harry's neck stand on end, '_I am simply the essence of all who have come before you…and summoned my aid…and my power. I am the weapon that you bear…and the power that you wield…once you have become me. What's the matter…little master? Do you not desire their deaths? The head of your enemy in your hands? The blood of your betrayers flowing around you? Their souls at your mercy? Do you not desire…_revenge?'

'I do desire revenge,' Harry thought, his body once again surprising him as he stepped out onto the pathway before him, his eyes now fixed on a point ahead of him, the moving walls around him appearing to shift and move towards him. 'But how does this…this being know about that? Just what sort of…of creature am I dealing with here?'

His answer was soon revealed as Harry approached the other side of the pathway, his body jumping with a start as a plume of black flames suddenly lit up in front of him, the flames remaining in place only for a moment and, when they fell, Harry's curious expression returned as he saw a jet-black altar now standing in front of him, a display case of sorts placed on the top of the altar and, inside the case, Harry had to look again as he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

It looked like a scythe: a long, full-body-length ebony-black handle that seemed to shine in the glow of the room, a clasp of purest silver at the head of the scythe shaped like a dragon's skull and, protruding from the jaw-bones of the skull was a pure-white blade that curved to a tip like the fang of some giant beast. Other than the rather intricate design of the clasp where the scythe-blade was held, Harry saw no real signs of magical craftsmanship and yet, as he looked at the scythe, he couldn't help but put his hand to his heart as he felt a strange warmth rising inside him, the beat of his heart now being matched by an ominous black aura that seemed to beat and pulse around the scythe.

'_You…are…worthy,_' the voice told him, the beat of the aura now matching Harry's heartbeat perfectly as the display case seemed to crack and splinter, the glass falling to the ground while the scythe remained intact. '_Now…little master; take me…claim me…become me…become the Rider…become the Avenger…become…the Horseman!_'

'Horseman?' asked Harry mentally, his eyes wide as he knew of the legend of the beings that had supposedly held the mantle: but it was just a story, wasn't it? A tale used to frighten people? 'How can this…legend help me achieve my revenge?'

'_On your own,_' the voice told him, '_You will be…powerful…but…when combined with…your Brother and Sister…and your…Chosen One…you will be…_immortal! _If you desire your vengeance as much as you say, little master, then take me: become me; become the Horseman…the First…become the debt that all men pay._'

'Death,' Harry thought, his eyes now narrowed as he moved towards the scythe, his heartbeat now increasing as did the beat and pulse of the aura around the scythe. 'I'm to become…Death? A Horseman with a Brother and Sister and a Chosen One? Could that be the others?'

His body just seemed content to surprise him as he lifted his hand, a mysterious black rune now being decorated on the back of his hand; glancing to the rune, Harry saw that it was a heptagon, silver in colour, a seven-sided shape with lines that seemed to run from each point on the heptagon to the centre of the shape. Each of the lines was made up of one of three colours: midnight-blue, emerald-green and, finally, blood-red, the topmost line coloured in jet-black.

In the centre of the heptagon, a strange crucifix-like shape was now being engraved into his hand. It looked like a T-bar with an x-shaped cross overlapping the vertical bar on the T-bar: to complete the image, an archaic text was wrapped around the heptagon, the text sealing itself in a jet-black circle so that, to Harry, the strange tattoo now resembled a pentagram of sorts.

What was even more unusual was that, as Harry placed his hand on the handle of the scythe, the text seemed to shimmer until, to Harry, it appeared to be as clear as plain English:

_I AM DEATH; THE FIRST RIDER; MASTER OF RAGNAROK; OBEY ME AND FEAR ME FOR YOUR SOULS NOW BELONG TO ME_

Harry's hand wrapped around the handle, his eyes now burning with cold, dark fury that seemed intent on giving him what he wished, a part of him noticing that the seal seemed to move upwards until it left his heart and printed itself onto his back, both the seal and the mark within it enlarging in size until it covered the entire area of his spinal regions, the top of the seal just below the nape of his neck while the tip of the crucifix touched the base of his spine, just above his waistline.

Nevertheless, Harry's mind felt clearer than it had been in over a year: yes, this scythe, these new powers, the mysterious Ragnarok, each of these things would give him the means to achieve his revenge and, when he found and bound the other three to his power and his leadership, Harry knew what he would do.

He would show them what _true_ darkness looked like…

_**FourHorsemen**_

At the same time that Harry held the scythe of Death in his hand, his sole decision unknowingly activated a chain reaction that spread across the world, beginning with a mansion located within the realm of Snowdonia where one Neville Longbottom, the son of a family that had once been friends with House Potter, slammed his bedroom door and sagged onto his bed. His reason: he despised the attention and the way that Jason Godric Potter could be so flaming perfect all the time; he could never do wrong, he could never _be_ wrong and, even worse, there were apparently talks that House Longbottom was to become a Guardian House to the brotherhood that had existed between them.

This meant that Neville would become Jason's vassal and have to follow him around making sure that Jason's _glowing_ reputation was kept intact and that there was always a reason if the Golden Boy ever did do anything wrong.

The thought alone just made him _sick_ to his stomach…

Then, without warning, Neville suddenly shot upright, his body heaving as he doubled over, before he released a stream of _actual_ sickness all over his floor, the pool of vomit laced with blood that, for a second, had the boy a little unnerved. Or it would have done had it not been for the way that the blood seemed to mix with the sickness and, in its wake, a strange silvery essence suddenly lifted from within the pool.

At the same time, Neville suddenly cried out as he felt a powerful, searing pain shoot through his stomach, a feeling like he was being branded covering his abdomen. Thinking quickly, which was something that Jackass Jason always said he couldn't do, Neville ripped his shirt off and, staring at a mirror on his wall, his eyes widened as he saw a black seal being formed around the spot where his heart was located. Within the seal, an emerald-green-coloured seven-pointed star touched seven points of the seal and, though he didn't know it himself, Neville then saw the centre of the seal occupied by the same crucifix-like symbol that Harry had held in the centre of his hand, the same text, though worded differently, now wrapping around the seal.

As Neville looked from the seal to the silvery essence that now floated by his head, he reached out with his left hand and, like Harry, the text shimmered until Neville found himself able to read what it said:

_I AM PESTILENCE; THE SECOND RIDER: MASTER OF ALUCARD; FLEE FROM THE SICKNESS THAT I BRAND UPON YOUR SOULS_

Unlike Harry, though again, Neville didn't know of the First Rider's choosing, Neville glanced to the item in his hand, his eyes widening as he recognised it as an Invisibility Cloak, before he glanced once more to the seven-pointed star, his voice coming back to him as he asked one question:

"What?"

_**FourHorsemen**_

Luna Lovegood, known to those that chose to put her down for her own difference as Loony, was different to Harry and Neville as she didn't scream or seem curious when the burning touched her on the edge of her left shoulder blade, her symbol being shown within a midnight-blue seven-level spiral. Instead, a smile seemed to cross her face as she whispered, "So Mummy was right; I've finally been chosen…and I see Death has already risen. Wait for me, my Lords and Masters, I shall come."

Her own branding was completed when a black plume of flames lit up her room and, reaching into the flames, Luna gasped once as she felt her body suddenly grow, her mental, physical and magical senses giving her an addition of one year's worth of experience and understanding. It seemed that she was being given an equal standing with her Others, a fact that made her smile as she whispered, "Soon, we will ride out together and you, my Lord Death, will have your revenge."

From within the flames, Luna saw that she held what looked like a black wand that, when measured, came out as thirteen inches; something about the wand held true power and, as she held it, Luna actually felt a ravenous hunger to use this power against those who had shunned her. Namely that psycho-bitch-wannabe known as Ginevra Weasley and her brother, Mr 'I'm-The-Boy-Who-Lived's-Best-Mate' Ronald Weasley: she would leave the so-called Boy-Who-Lived for the fury of the debt that all men pay.

In the meantime, Luna observed her own branded moniker as she read the text within the seal;

_I AM FAMINE: THE THIRD RIDER; MISTRESS OF DELILAH; FEED ME YOUR SINS SO I MAY SMITE YOU FOR YOUR GREED_

Still smiling, Luna tucked her new wand away and, turning on her heel, she skipped down through her house, her mind already making plans to help her new Lord…

Even if she wasn't _meant_ to know who he was…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Hermione Granger appeared to be just like any other regular girl…but she knew that she wasn't; at nearly ten years old, Hermione knew that she was different, not only in study and appearance to those who taunted her about said traits, but she also knew that she had something others didn't. She had a gift for magical things happening whenever she was angry or scared and, more often than not, Hermione wound up using those gifts on those who called her things like beaver, buck-tooth and a know-it-all.

However, Hermione also knew that she needed to learn more about these gifts so that, in the end, she could do one thing: make everyone who had insulted her or upset her sorry that they'd ever heard the name Hermione Jane Granger. On the other hand, she understood that it was impossible: that no-one would or could help her since there weren't any magically-gifted people near her seemingly-average home in Crawley, but Hermione wasn't one to give up hope.

She understood that, if she had these gifts, then there had to be others in England and maybe in the rest of Britain that did.

This was probably why she only briefly cried out when she felt a painful magic press itself onto her stomach: thankfully, she was alone – her parents were dentists and therefore gave Hermione a key from the moment she turned nine – so, thinking quickly, Hermione ran into her bathroom and, lifting her t-shirt, she revealed her pale stomach, an unusual symbol now appearing on her flesh.

It looked like a targeting range similar to what you would see on an archery range, but this range-like design had seven circles wrapped within an eighth circle that, unlike the blood-red of the seven circles, was as black as night. Finally, within the smallest circle, Hermione saw a crucifix symbol fill the spot that covered her belly button while the black circle, which looked more like a ring in appearance, was filled with a text that Hermione couldn't read.

Or at least until she looked to the shelf in front of her and saw what looked like a silver chain holding a keepsake casing that held the same crucifix symbol that was in the centre of the seven blood-red circles. Like those before her – though she didn't know it yet – Hermione reached out with her hand and picked up the chain, the keepsake falling open to reveal a black, diamond-shaped stone about the size of her largest finger. As the stone fell onto her hand, Hermione gasped as one of the points on the black diamond pricked her flesh, a single drop of blood now falling onto the stone where, like before, the text on the seal changed so Hermione could read it:

_I AM WAR: THE FOURTH HORSEMAN; MISTRESS OF DAMIEN: MY HORDES ARE READY FOR THE HUNT FOR YOUR SOULS_

Hermione didn't know why, but she suddenly felt very happy and, as she placed the stone back into the keepsake and slipped the chain around her neck, a part of her couldn't help but feel hollow and empty inside.

Almost as though there was a small part of her soul, her essence and her magic that was not yet whole…

**Well, there we have it: Chapter 1 of my newest story and, once again, I'd like to thank ADVPhoenix for forcing my inspiration to rear its head – whether or not I'm being sarcastic is up to you ;-)**

**Anyway, the Horsemen are chosen and the gifts given: what will happen when four become one at Hogwarts?**

**Also, will Harry be able to restrain himself from bringing Hell itself onto the family that left him alone at a very familiar orphanage?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Ragnarok, Alucard, Delilah and Damien are revealed and the Horsemen acknowledge each other's presence; plus, Hogwarts, a Sorting and a Family Reunion that doesn't last very long;**

**Please Read and Review**

**AN: I should point out – though it will be explained – that the 'Seals' are only noticeable by the Horsemen and the Powers that they invoke: to everyone else, they're invisible:**


	2. The Horsemen Gather

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and it's sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Luxord5294: While it's a nice idea, it's not how I write or post my stories; thanks for the idea, though;**

**Thisisnutz: I'm sure that my bite by the Harmony Bug will be infecting more of my stories soon; and thank you for the note about the name;**

**ADVPhoenix: Like I said, I CURSE you for bringing my inspirational side out again; but, seriously, thanks;**

**DraconicWrath: Well thank you for being honest and I hope you continue to enjoy this story;**

**StormyFireDragon: Yeah, Storm, I sent you that PM explaining things better than I could;**

**Man of the western light: While that would be a good idea, I have my own little idea for what the steeds look like;**

**AbrielNexus: Yeah, now I just have to find a way to work that into the story, but don't worry, I'm bound to find a way;**

**SleepyMangaHead: Sounds more like something that Harry would dream about or make a lovely little omake for the story since I don't plan on that happening just yet;**

**Harryhermionealways: Even if she does do that, she still has to answer for her crime against her former flesh and blood;**

_Nevertheless, Harry's mind felt clearer than it had been in over a year: yes, this scythe, these new powers, the mysterious Ragnarok, each of these things would give him the means to achieve his revenge and, when he found and bound the other three to his power and his leadership, Harry knew what he would do._

_He would show them what true darkness looked like…_

Chapter 2: The Horsemen Gather

Since that fated night in July, Harry had undergone a remarkable transformation over two years and, when his letter inviting him to Hogwarts turned up, he didn't waste time. He not only sent the response, knowing it would stick a real thorn in his target's side, but he also sent a letter to his godfather to meet him at the Orphanage and take him to Diagon Alley. The reason that he did this was because, not long after he'd been left at the Orphanage, he and Severus had met and the man had told him straight: _I despise your Father, Harry, but you are my godson and I cannot hate you. Anything, anytime, day or night, you let me know_.

When Severus arrived on the eve of Harry's eleventh birthday, he seemed content to notice that his godson hadn't given up his lifestyle just because he was in an orphanage that was used for Muggle children: Harry was still tall and lean, his black hair now stuck up on his head like a crown of raven-black thorns. His eyes shone without any glasses or visual impairments restricting his vision – unlike Jason, Severus noted, who took after his accursed Father and wore glasses that made him look stupid – and, as though he was completing the image, Harry's dress sense had also changed.

He was now dressed in black denim jeans and a dark shirt that was covered by what could be described as a biker's leather jacket, two sets of silver spikes protruding from the shoulders of the jacket. Over Harry's feet, he wore a pair of black boots that seemed to make him look taller, though Severus knew that wasn't the case as Harry had always been tall for his age.

Despite his dark, brooding appearance, Harry's face did turn into a warm, welcoming smile as he remarked, "Uncle Severus, thanks for coming to help me: can we go?"

"What about your…guardians, Harry?" asked Severus, though he felt a shiver cross him as he saw an icy smile pass over the face of the young wizard.

"They won't be a problem," he answered, his voice calm and focused, which made it impossible for Severus to determine whether or not the boy was telling the truth, "I told them that a friend was coming to take me out for the day and, like the fickle Muggle sheep that they are, they believed me. By the way, I have some good news and some bad news for you, Severus."

"And what would that be?" asked the Potions Master, his eyes glinting with amusement as he saw how calm and confident Harry looked.

"Well," Harry sighed, "I may as well start with the bad news: you remember that Jackass Jason is coming up this year as well, don't you?"

"How can I forget?" asked Severus, his voice laced with a shudder, "Potter sees fit to remind me every time I see him about his _prodigal_ son and how Jason should be treated with respect; over my dead body…what? Is that the bad news?"

"Of course," Harry laughed, stepping out into the grim environment outside the orphanage where Severus took his arm, Harry already aware that they were going to Apparate: he'd felt the sensations before and, though he'd been asleep, he also remembered a moment of subconscious disorientation before he'd been left at the orphanage. "But the good news is something that will counter the bad."

"And what is that?" asked Severus, twisting on the spot as he and Harry Apparated to Diagon Alley where the young wizard would get his school supplies.

As they landed on their designated point, Harry gave that icy, almost shark-like smile once again as he explained, "I'm not following the Jackass into Gryffindor: I have a desire, a wish and a determination…to join you, Uncle Severus, in the House of Slytherin."

If any of the students that knew Severus Snape had passed him or encountered him in the moments that followed, they would have felt like the devil himself was in their midst due to the laughter that escaped the man as he led Harry through the Alley.

_**FourHorsemen**_

At the same time that Harry wandered into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, across the street, outside the Magical Menagerie, Neville Longbottom suddenly lifted his head as a strange tingle ran across the seal on his chest, his left hand flexing as he glanced to the robe-maker's store. Seeing both his soon-to-be new Professor and what appeared to be a student at his side, the young Longbottom narrowed his eyes and, giving the appearance of a slight twinge of heartburn, he rubbed at the seal on his chest, his eyes never leaving the duo that entered the seamstress' store.

'Could it be?' he wondered, before he was distracted by the calling voice of his Mother, the Second Horseman returning his visage and his mannerism to the new student that he was going to be.

'I guess I'll find out at Hogwarts.'

_**FourHorsemen**_

After travelling to the Alley with Severus, Harry returned to Wool's Orphanage where he returned to his room and, after locking the door, he took a deep breath before he allowed his hand to reach back and massage at the nape of his neck. He'd felt it: when he'd come out of Madam Malkin's and when he'd made his way to Ollivander's, his seal had tingled with an almost impossible-to-ignore sensation that had forced Harry to glance back only once, explaining to Severus that he'd thought he'd heard someone say his name.

However, the real reason was true and it was one that unnerved and excited Harry: thanks to the knowledge gained and honed from taking hold of the scythe, Harry knew that the seal's reaction was due to the presence of one of the Others. The stronger the reaction, the more members of his circle were nearby and, from what Harry had felt, it was clear that there was only one Other nearby, so it was nothing to be concerned with.

On the other hand, Harry hadn't been able to tell which of the Others had been nearby or who it had been and, with Severus nearby, it had been hard for him to use his new gifts to see for himself. That left only one option: Hogwarts.

If the Other, which was the title for the other Horsemen like him, was indeed in the Alleys, then it made a small amount of sense, just enough to make it seem logical anyway that they'd be going to Hogwarts.

It was just a matter of time…

_**FourHorsemen**_

The time was upon them: September First, the date that they'd attend Hogwarts, was now closer than ever – just 24 hours away, in fact – and, in their respected places, the Four Horsemen were all experiencing different sensations and emotions as they waited for the day where they would meet:

Hermione was packing the last of her items into her trunk, before she opened a secret compartment and stored her War Amulet – as she had named it – into the compartment, her eyes dark as she massaged her stomach, her hand trailing over the spot where her seal was located, her mind speaking for her as she wondered when she'd know the others.

Luna was happily drawing in her room within her home, her eyes watching the skyline outside and, in particular, the distant multi-storey house that was known as the Burrow, her mind making a silent pledge to keep the sheep away from her leader and her companions, her blue eyes shining brightly as she knew that the time was close. They wouldn't claim him: this much she knew from her diluted Seer's gift; no, her leader would get his wish and he would bring the first of many stages of Hell to those who had wronged him.

Neville was also packing the last of his school items into his trunk, his eyes falling on the cloak that had been his for two years, his body stiff and rigid as he considered the days ahead. He would be forced to share a dorm with the one whose soul he wished to poison most of all and yet, after knowing that he had others in his battle, Neville also knew that it would fall to the First to bring about that particular soul's destruction. However, if the owner of said soul thought of Neville as some bland little puppy dog, then the Second Rider had a few choice surprises for him and his band of cattle.

As for Harry, he was sitting comfortably on the windowsill of his bedroom within the Orphanage, a light rain falling outside his window, his scythe, which seemed to glow in the low light of his bedroom lights, resting over his lap as he watched the rain fall and the darkness pass over the land. It was almost time for him to make his return and, try as he might, Harry couldn't find it in himself to desire anything more than the end of everyone and everything that had turned his life against him.

When he'd gone to Diagon Alley with Severus, he'd found, to his rage that James had officially disowned him from the Potter Family and, in turn, had removed his trust vault from the list of Gringotts' many vaults. However, as though to counter that fact, Severus had been there to help as he'd added Harry to the allowed people and trusted recipients of monetary values from his own vault. Without an actual surname any longer, Harry had requested that the goblin address him by the surname of the one man that Harry could still respect in his life: Sirius Black.

When Severus had heard this, he asked how such a thing was possible and Harry told him about how Sirius was the only other adult he had trusted while staying with _them_ and, if he was doomed to be without a family, then it was just the hand that fate had dealt him. It had taken twenty minutes, as well as a conversation with the head of the Black finance vaults, before a letter had come through to Gringotts from Sirius:

_I hereby recognise, and personally encourage, the naming of the one formerly known as Harry James Potter to be Harry Black; as Lord Black, I also allow him access to my properties and fortunes as he needs or wishes._

_Solemnly signed_

_Lord Sirius Orion Black_

_PS: I'm sorry cub, make no mistake: James will pay for what he's done to you; Severus and I will always be there for you, I promise._

Just the knowledge that Sirius was still on his side had made Harry feel marginally better and, after retrieving as much as he needed, he'd left Gringotts with a new determination to send James' soul straight through the gates of Hell and trap him in the seventh circle for all eternity.

However, as Harry knew, to do any of that, he needed three things first and their names were War, Pestilence and Famine, better known as the other Three Horsemen that added to his mantle of Death. Once they were together, their combined powers would be released and Harry would be free to act out on his own, which meant that he could ride out – no pun intended – and reap James Potter's soul before sending it straight to the deepest pit of hell.

As if to emphasise the determination felt by the First Rider, Harry smiled coldly as a bolt of lightning filled the sky, illuminating the dark, almost blood-thirsty glow in his green eyes.

"Soon…"

_**FourHorsemen**_

BANG!

James Potter didn't need to look up as the door to his lounge was kicked open, followed by hurried, and from the sounds of the breathing that accompanied, fury-filled footsteps approached his chair, the breathing and the anger accompanying those steps all too familiar to James as he muttered, "Hello, Padfoot: drink? Cigar?"

"Shut up, Prongs!" snarled Sirius Black, his hand itching to draw his wand after what he'd heard over a month before; it had taken talks with Remus and Severus as well as what few contacts Sirius could count on in the Ministry to deal with the fallout and now, Sirius was here, ready for answers. "How could you do it? To your own flesh and blood? How, James?"

"If you're referring to my ex-son," James answered, folding his copy of the Daily Prophet before he leaned back in his chair and smiled, "Quite easily in fact: once I had Lily's assistance with the task and Jason's desire to be an only child, it was a simple task of a Blood Disowning and now the black sheep that made Jason look bad is no longer a son of mine. Why?" he then laughed harshly, meeting the grey eyes of his best friend, "Has the little monster contacted you? Does he know that he can still rely on his Uncle Padfoot to pull his Slytherin ass out of the fire so easily?"

"Harry didn't contact me," Sirius told him, his voice filled with anger and his hand now closer to his wand than ever, "It was actually the work of my goblin liaison, who said that Harry had not been informed of his disowning and was asking, though it was more like the begging of an innocent child, to take _my_ name as his surname. Have you no heart that you wouldn't even inform Harry to be present for this shameful moment in his life?"

"No," James answered simply, before he rose from his chair and, facing his friend once more, he added, "And if he's taken your name, then he's welcome to it: hiding in the darkness and trusting Snivellous over me and thinking he's better than Jason rather than acting like any real brother would. Do you know who he reminds me of, Padfoot? Regulus!"

SMACK!

The punch came so quickly that James actually hadn't expected it to come at all; as James stumbled, Sirius lowered his hand, his eyes shining and, behind James, the flames flickered as did the lights as Sirius' magic threatened to come out, "How dare you think that of your own son, James? Well, I guess I should say your ex-son, but no matter: because tomorrow, Harry Black goes to Hogwarts and, as of right now, I don't consider you my friend or a Marauder. I don't know what happened on Halloween night to turn the James I knew into this…_thing_, but, as of right now, my friend, Prongs, is _dead_ to me."

"Then I suppose you had better leave, Lord Black," James sneered, indicating the door, "Go back to your Death Eater relatives and your filthy Slytherin lifestyle; maybe now your dead mother will accept you as a Black. As for us: I'm glad I'm no longer a Marauder as it means that I don't have to pretend to put up with people like you hounding the limelight from Jason or holding me back in my plan for the Ministry. And rest assured, Sirius Black: if that no-better-than-a-squib bastard that you're more than welcome to call a son dares to cross my path again, the only place he'll see me is through the bars of Azkaban Prison. Now, I'm asking nicely, Lord Black: leave."

Sirius left, but, as he did so, he turned once and called out, "And you can take me off as your _son's_ godfather as well: goodbye James Potter!"

_**FourHorsemen**_

The next morning, just as Harry was about to leave for King's Cross and his journey to Hogwarts, he was surprised when he opened the door to the orphanage and, instead of a taxi or a magical assist to King's Cross, he found the tight-lipped face of his other entrusted adult, Sirius Black, standing outside the door.

"Sirius?" asked Harry, pretending to feel ashamed or worried about what he'd done, "I know I should have asked, but…"

"It's okay, Harry," Sirius replied, before he surprised Harry as he embraced him in a warm hug, Harry actually allowing himself to feel shock and a sense of comfort with his honorary Father-figure. Letting go of Harry, Sirius then asked, "What would it mean to you if I actually gave you my name, pup? Made you a Black not just in name, but blood as well?"

"You mean because of James?" asked Harry, earning a nod from Sirius as he added, "I'd be honoured: you treated me more like a Father than he did so, if I became your son, then I'd be happy and I'd be proud to be the son of someone who doesn't see me as a burden or a black spot on the family."

"Then," Sirius remarked, taking Harry's arm and, picking up the cage that contained a rather beautiful-looking snowy owl, he added, "I'd better get started, Harry: do you also want to keep your old name?"

"I'll think about it," Harry answered, his voice shocked as he asked, "But…is it okay if I call you Sirius for now? Just…until I get used to the idea of having a…_Father_…again?"

"Whatever makes you feel comfortable, kiddo," Sirius remarked, twisting once as he Apparated with Harry to King's Cross station, the eyes of the young wizard widening as he saw Sirius' Apparition had taken them straight onto Platform Nine-And-Three-Quarters. As Sirius released Harry, he told him, "Also, as your Father, I want you to know that you can tell me anything, Harry and, if you don't want others to know about it, I won't tell them. I don't even care that my new son will be a Slytherin or some dark, brooding, almost-perfect pureblood's son that thinks he's a leader and others are made to follow him: okay, it would make you seem like that lecherous little shit that I used to call my godson, but I'd still be proud of you, okay?"

"Okay," Harry nodded, a part of him already trying to think of a way to come up with a means to tell his new Father the truth about his new self; would it be revealed in a Blood Adoption?

Would Sirius be changed by the power as Harry had been changed?

Time would tell, he supposed. And so, with help from Sirius, Harry made his way to the train where he found an empty compartment rather quickly; placing his things on the carry-rail overhead, Harry settled into his seat before he asked, "Is it okay if I come to…our new home for Christmas, Sirius?"

"I'd expect nothing less, Harry," Sirius answered, slightly saddened at the hesitant way that Harry had used his name; still, after nearly four years of isolation and solitude, it was to be expected that he had some issues with trust and change. "Also, if you do make any friends, especially any that could be related to my family, let me know and, in the case of other friends, feel free to invite them along, okay?"

"Sure," Harry nodded, before Sirius left him alone, the First Horseman easing into his seat as he let his head rest on the window, his eyes watching and waiting for any sign of triggers from his seal that the others were present. Then he could put a name to a face and, hopefully, start building his forces not only with the other Horsemen, but also, as his Father had said, with other members of the school that he could know and trust.

Just as Harry settled into an almost relaxed state of mind, he shot up just as suddenly as his seal began tingling, but it wasn't just tingling: in fact, it felt like the seal was literally vibrating against his spine, making his heart race and his eyes narrow in focused concentration…and with good reason. While the tingle was an alert to the presence of the others, it was also _aggravatingly_ annoying and Harry had to try _very_ hard not to aggravate his body with any form of relaxation: the tingling/vibrating would continue until the Four became One and their powers were revealed to one another.

Grinding his hands into his fists, Harry sat and waited…

_**FourHorsemen**_

As Neville Longbottom stepped onto the train, his heart suddenly gave a startled stop as though he suffered a sudden heart attack, though Neville knew the real reason: his seal was detecting the signs of the other three Horsemen, each of them clearly here with him on the platform or on the train.

"Neville?" asked Alice Longbottom, "Is everything all right?"

"Just…a bit of a shock," Neville explained, the lie easy to come up with as he was surprised that the others had been found so quickly and so easily, "It'll pass: give my love to Gran, won't you?"

"Make sure that you end up in the same house as Jason," Frank, his Father, advised him, "Potter's been waiting for the day when we can re-invoke our oath of brotherhood with his family."

"Don't worry, Father," Neville replied, heaving his trunk onto the train, "I'll keep an eye out…"

'And make sure that I _don't_ end up anywhere near Jason bloody Potter,' he added in thought, before he began pulling his trunk down the train, the faces and wishes of his parents already forgotten. Neville knew that, by going against his parents' wishes, he was risking disowning, or worse, he was risking a blood feud-like trigger with House Potter. But he didn't care; Neville had figured out a long time ago that the First Horseman had to be someone with raw hatred and a desire for the deaths and souls of his enemies to fuel his own power.

Yes, he had figured out a long time ago that the First Horseman…was Jason's ex-brother – as he'd learned from his Father – Harry;

'I never said _which_ Potter I'd follow,' he thought, before the stabs against his heart returned and, looking up, Neville felt like laughing when he saw that he was standing not only outside the same compartment as the First Horseman, but, there, standing in front of him, one massaging her stomach while the other remained still and smiling, were the other two Horsemen.

They had found one another…

_**FourHorsemen**_

KNOCK, KNOCK!

'And here was I thinking that it was the postman that knocked twice,' thought Harry, before he lifted his head and, with the vibrations on his spine intensifying, he gasped out, "Come in."

The door opened and Harry didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he saw Neville Longbottom, the son of a House that had been allied with the Potters for seven generations, standing with two girls that he didn't recognise. One was a blonde-haired girl with enchanting, but cold blue eyes, who was already dressed in her Hogwarts robes, her eyes on Harry as she smiled at him.

The other girl, on the other hand, Harry didn't just find hard to recognise, but there was something about her that drew him in, his eyes locked onto hers, which were a deep shade of brown, as she looked at him, Harry then noticing that this girl and the Longbottom Heir were holding a part of their bodies. In the case of the girl, whose brown hair looked as wild as Harry's did as it flowed down to her shoulders, she was holding her stomach and, in Neville's case, he was holding his hand over his heart as though he was about to kneel before some sort of sovereign-like being.

Knowing what they could feel, Harry nodded to the other seats as he muttered, "Come and sit down: I think we have much to talk about."

Neville and the blonde girl sat opposite Harry while the brown-haired girl sat next to him, her eyes on Harry's as though she was trying to recognise him from somewhere; glancing to each of them in turn, Harry lifted his hand and pointed at the door to the compartment, a click sounding from the latch on the door. Lowering his hand, Harry explained, "Now I know who you are just as much as you know who I am, but that's our _true_ selves: first things first, I need names. Now, I already know you, Neville Longbottom and I'm surprised to see you drawn here to me, but, as for our female companions, who are you?"

"Her…Hermione Granger," answered the brown-haired girl, her eyes on Harry as she then noticed his green eyes; if what she'd read about the wizarding world was true, there was only one child with those eyes.

"Luna Lovegood," added the blonde, her smile never leaving her face as she added, "And you have nothing to worry about with your new title, Harry Black; you'll choose a name that matches the spirit felt by each of us in due time."

"Thanks, Luna," Harry laughed, before he nodded to Hermione, "And yes, as she said, I am Harry Black, formerly known as Harry James Potter, the now ex-son of House Potter. Not a big loss, really; it's nice to meet you all."

He held out his hand, Neville's hand now joining his and, seconds later, the two girls put their hands over the boys' hands, each of them appearing to glow with a different coloured aura: Neville's was emerald-green, Luna was midnight-blue, Hermione was blood-red and Harry's aura was jet-black, the same four colours that each held on their seals.

As the auras intensified, Harry then felt a powerful energy stab through his crucifix, before a beam of black light shone through his chest, shooting into the centre where their four hands were linked. As this energy met the four hands, it was joined by a beam of emerald-green, midnight-blue and blood-red that seemed to fuse together perfectly, forming the image of the same crucifix held in the centre of the four seals.

Before any of the Horsemen could ask a question about what was going on here, the lights retracted into their bodies and all four slumped into their seats, their eyes closed as though they were merely sleeping.

However, while they were separated in bodily sense, their minds all went to the same place, each of the Four Horsemen sharing the same emotion as they were dragged into this realm of unconsciousness;

An emotion of unity, of brotherhood/sisterhood and an emotion of beginning…

It had begun…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Harry groaned in pain as consciousness returned to him, though he managed a second groan as he saw that they weren't on the train; instead, they were in the strange room where Harry had acquired his scythe, the moving walls now rippling and shifting constantly as each of the Horsemen rose from the floor.

"Where are we?" asked Hermione, Harry shaking his head in response before he looked to her.

"I think this is a realm of Hell," he answered, his voice calm as he explained, "I've been here before: when I became who I am: the First Rider: Death."

"And I am the Second Rider, Pestilence," Neville explained, Harry nodding in welcome and understanding for the mantle of his new partner in fate.

"Did you know that some don't consider that one of the Four?" asked Hermione, Harry chuckling as he sensed someone like him in her; a knowledge seeker who didn't need to be right all the time, per se, but they did show their knowledge.

"They don't?" asked Neville, glancing to Harry, who shrugged ruefully.

"No," Hermione explained, "According to the majority of references to…to what we've become, the Four are: Conquest, War, Famine and Death; Pestilence is just one reference from another belief."

"Doesn't change what's happened to us," Harry reasoned, looking to Hermione and Luna as he asked, "So, who are you exactly?"

"The Third Rider, Famine," Luna explained, Harry nodding with the same sense of understanding that he'd felt from Neville.

"The Fourth Rider, War," Hermione finished, Harry not only nodding, but actually feeling something; almost like a connection that told him that he and Hermione could have always been destined to be Horsemen. In a way, he could sense in her a similar experience and background to his own: with people trying to use and abuse her only to have their pain turned back on them. No wonder she became the Horseman of War.

"So why are we here?" asked Neville, Harry shaking his head in response, before a loud thunderous boom echoed around them, Harry now looking into the distant darkness where the boom had come from.

"Something's coming," he remarked, lifting his hand and, drawing on his magic, he summoned his scythe from the shadows, its dark energy and deathly power radiating through the room. At the same time, Luna revealed what looked like a powerful-looking wand while Neville and Hermione both looked a little embarrassed; taking a leap, Harry asked, "Let me guess: you haven't learned how to summon your items, yet?"

"I don't even know what mine is for," Hermione remarked, Harry now stepping past Luna to stand with Hermione, his scythe held tight in his hand as he looked into her eyes.

"Then stay by me," he told her, standing protectively in front of her, "Whatever's coming out of the darkness, we need to stand together: only then can we complete whatever bond has united us here."

'_Strong words…Lord Death_…'

The voice was deep and powerful and, as Harry looked into the darkness, his eyes widened when he heard the booming sounds almost overlap one another, their sounds coming through even clearer now as they were revealed to be less of a loud boom and more like…hoof-beats.

"Who's there?" asked Harry, lifting the blade of his scythe, "Show yourself!"

'_As you wish,_' the same powerful voice replied and, in response to Harry's command, there was a loud crash, which caused the ground beneath the feet of the Horsemen to tremble and collapse, though the four didn't fall. Instead, they were swept up by four mysterious figures, each of which held reins that wrapped around the hands of the Horsemen.

Glancing through his fear – as he had felt afraid when the floor had given way – Harry's eyes widened as he saw a beautiful, but dangerous-looking black horse with what appeared to be silvery-grey highlights along its head, legs and hooves, almost like the silver additions were armoured. The horse had eyes that were like the colour of a blood moon and, as Harry looked to its eyes, the horse turned its head and bowed its head to Harry.

Looking to the others, Harry saw that the other Horsemen were indeed riding horses, each one highlighted by an array of red, black or white armour; in Luna's case, as she was the one riding the black-armoured horse, her steed was pure white, though with its black additions, it looked more like a ghost in the night.

As Harry stared at the horses, he then noticed something else as he looked to Hermione's steed: the horses didn't have eyes of moonlight colours, their eyes were _literally_ made of what looked like white – or black in Luna's case – flames that also protruded from their nostrils when they snorted and, when they moved back onto solid ground, Harry saw a trail of singed flame marks where the hooves had struck the ground, the area around the ground where they stood blackening as though caught in some great plague.

"Okay, I'm impressed," Harry whispered, looking to the flames that emerged from his own steed as he asked, "But…who…or what…are you?"

'_We are the Four,_' explained the powerful voice in Harry's mind, the First Horsemen then realising that the voice was coming from his own stallion, '_The steeds and bearers of the Horsemen and their powers; now that you have come together, you are able to release your true fury and power upon the realm of mortals. As for our names, I, Lord of Death, am Ragnarok; Lady War rides Damien; Lady Famine rides Delilah and Lord Conquest rides Alucard: we are now yours to command and shall cross from this Hell dimension to the mortal realm upon your summons._'

'So this is Ragnarok?' Harry wondered, before he heard a cough from Neville; understanding the meaning, Harry explained, "Neville's not Conquest, though, Ragnarok: his seal identifies him as the Rider of Pestilence, but according to Hermione, it all depends on your belief in our power; is that true?"

'_It is, Death,_' Ragnarok explained, Harry now glancing to Alucard, the black horse decorated with the white armour and white-flame eyes and breath, which made him look as intimidating as his name suggested. '_In the beginning, the Horseman of Pestilence became more powerful and gained the mantle of Conquest; however, in later times, his power regressed into the disease, which left the one known as the White Rider with a purpose of punishment and decision. You will notice the bow and arrows at his side?_'

Harry looked, as did Neville: there _was_ a bow attached to Alucard's side; a white bow that seemed to be made from the bones of some sort of creature and, as Neville picked up the bow, he gasped as a quiver of black arrows with different-coloured-flecked heads appeared over his shoulder, some of the arrows appearing to be as plain and ordinary as a normal arrow.

Nodding in response to Ragnarok's question, Harry listened as his steed explained, '_Those arrows are infused with the curses of death and disease, though the plain ones have the power to incapacitate and, in great cases, leave a target in a living-dead state; it is for this reason that the diseased dead of the mortal mages are under the command of Conquest._'

"Diseased dead?" asked Hermione, earning a shrug from the two male riders while Luna, glancing to Neville, filled in the blanks.

"They're called Inferi," she explained, her voice calm and almost eerie, as though she was in a trance, "Dead bodies resurrected by dark means, their souls bound to the one that summoned them: it is why Ragnarok refers to them as the diseased dead."

'_Famine speaks the truth, Death,_' a female voice explained, her tone as eerie and distant as Luna's had been; Harry took a guess that it was Delilah speaking to him. '_Each of the Horsemen command a horde of some sort or another; only War has the power to invoke demons and creatures of nightmare and shadow and bring those who think they defy you, my Lord Death, in your desire that the debt all men must pay has been paid._'

"The undead," Hermione added, having already been told a small amount about this when she had discovered her seal's power and the stone had been bonded to her. "Sounds…a little creepy."

'_In due time,_' another male voice, this one coming from Damien, told Hermione: Harry knew it was Damien from the way that the red-armoured horse turned its head to Hermione. '_You may see things differently, War; though Delilah speaks the truth: each of the Four have the power over one horde or another. Conquest with his diseased dead; Famine with her hordes of those that may survive what the Four bring to the mortal world and Lord Death with his spirits of dark and decay._'

"Does he always speak in riddles?" asked Neville, earning a snort from Damien as Neville glanced to Harry, "Spirits of death and decay: who do you suppose they are?"

"Ghosts?" suggested Harry, "Phantoms, zombies, wraiths, possessive spirits…who knows? It's early days yet, Neville: speaking of, what about the four of you? Will you be returning with us or…"

'_We come when we are needed,_' Alucard explained, his voice sounding as deep and powerful as Ragnarok's: it was then that Harry understood why Neville was known as the Horseman Conquest. '_Your powers summon us when we are needed and banish us when we are done, but, in the meantime, it falls to you, my Lords and Ladies, to learn more about your powers and, in due time, deal with the mortal threat that has required the summoning of the Horsemen in the first place._'

"Hell on Earth," Harry mused, earning a chuckle from Ragnarok before he asked, "So how do we get back?"

'_That part's easy,_' Ragnarok explained, before Harry and the other Horsemen gasped as blinding light overpowered their senses and, when they looked again, they found themselves back on the Hogwarts Express.

"Well," Harry mused, looking to the other three, each of whom were trying to recover from their experience in the land of shadows, "That was interesting."

The other Horsemen could only nod in agreement with their leader as the train, they noticed, began to slow down, the sky overhead now remarkably darker than when they'd met in the first place;

They had reached Hogwarts…

**Chapter 2 and the Horsemen have met, consequences have been dealt and new allies have been introduced, but what sort of threat awaits the Horsemen at Hogwarts?**

**Also, can Harry and his circle master the power of the Horsemen or will they become more than mortal in the quest to bring Hell to Hogwarts?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: A Sorting and a Family Reunion that doesn't last very long; also, Harry has a few choice words for his former brother and a warning that doesn't go down well with a certain big-headed Lord; and, to top it all off, the circle help Harry decide how his future will be affected and Harry chooses a new name;**

**Please Read and Review**

**AN: The images of the horses that each of the Horsemen ride was actually inspired by two demon-horse images: Carter Slade's horse from Ghost Rider and Jericho Cross' horse from the game Darkwatch; all copyright to the original creators;**

**ALSO: I KNOW that the Four are listed as Conquest, War, Famine and Death, but thankfully, I think I found a way to work that into the story…with a little help from Wikipedia ;-) **


	3. A Not So Merry Reunion

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and it's sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Mischievous Shadows: I'm not really a fan of co-writing as it loses the belief that the idea is mine: sorry; nice suggestions for a few of our favourite characters, though;**

**ADVPhoenix: How could I not? The idea is just too perfect to leave buried in the inspirational graveyard (shudders) I hate that place ;-)**

**Elfwyn: Severus knew where Harry was, but Harry had told him not to do anything to take him away from there, which was why Severus had made the promise; as for Sirius, he knew Harry was gone, but didn't know where…until he heard about the disowning;**

**ArchAngelGundam: 'I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.' A very inspirational little message there: nice work making use of it and I guess you're right that it's appropriate;**

**DraygonRayne67: Yeah, well as I said, I added a little backstory to explain the difference, though I prefer the Four that I grew up learning about; as for Quirrell, your review gave me a nice idea to move this along, so thanks;**

**StormyFireDragon: No worries, Storm; I had a figure that you would enjoy this one, my friend;**

**Trongod: Lily will be coming back fairly soon and, yes, it will be for Harry: I just wanted to show a darker side of James than canon and that was what I did; Lily will start to 'see the light' when Harry's name is changed;**

**AbrielNexus: Impressive…and pretty inspirational as well;**

**Robert32514: A Ghost Rider reference…really? Mind you, it would be an interesting development for when they get older or how they actually use their powers;**

_Letting go of Harry, Sirius then asked, "What would it mean to you if I actually gave you my name, pup? Made you a Black not just in name, but blood as well?"_

"_You mean because of James?" asked Harry, earning a nod from Sirius as he added, "I'd be honoured: you treated me more like a Father than he did so, if I became your son, then I'd be happy and I'd be proud to be the son of someone who doesn't see me as a burden or a black spot on the family."_

Chapter 3: A Not-So-Merry Reunion

Descending off the Hogwarts Express, Harry wrapped his robe around him as the cold of the early evening blew around him, his eyes watching the other students warily while, behind him, Hermione, Neville and Luna followed their leader in stride as a loud voice called out for the first years. From his brief time with the unworthy menace that he had called his family, Harry knew that the voice belonged to the gamekeeper of Hogwarts, a half-giant known as Rubeus Hagrid.

Staying close together, the Horsemen followed the other first-years and the half-giant along a narrow pathway, round a tight corner where the students got their first sight of the school where they'd live and learn for the next seven years before they stepped down a bank towards the edge of a large black lake. On the edge of the lake were a fleet of tiny boats and, as the Four took a boat to themselves, Harry suddenly stiffened as a flash of bleach-blonde hair passed the corner of his eye accompanied by a flash of red hair.

As he stepped into the boat, Harry glanced to his left and, sure enough, he was forced to adopt a scowl as he saw a young boy with bleach-blonde hair and sharp blue eyes leading a boy with dark eyes and red hair into the boat, the blue-eyed boy not even noticing that he was being watched. Then again, Harry knew, he was used to being the centre of attention, but not for the reason that Harry glared at the shorter-than-he-was form of his former brother, Jason Godric Potter, the so-called Boy-Who-Lived.

"Sit down, Harry," Hermione whispered to him, Harry obliging her as he sat down in the boat, the strange magic of the craft starting to disembark on their journey across the lake. As the water of the Black Lake flowed underneath their boat, Hermione asked, "It's him, isn't it?"

"Yes," Harry replied, gritting his teeth together as he watched the boats move towards Hogwarts before he looked to his fellow Horsemen as he added, "Promise me something, won't you?"

"What's that, Harry?" asked Neville, a part of him unnerved by the almost icy sensation that had filled their boat with their leader's change in emotions.

"None of you will get into Gryffindor," Harry told them, his hands now wringing uncomfortably as though he was trying to squeeze the life and light out of an object that would have fit in his hands, "I don't mind where else you go, but please, no matter what, don't follow that prim-and-proper peacock into the Lion's Den."

"We'll do our best," Hermione reasoned, though she felt a little frightened as Harry's cold green eyes glanced to her, "No-one knows where they'll be sorted: it was in the guide that I was given when I was told that I was a witch. The Sorting doesn't guarantee a result that you want or need: it's all about what the magic of Hogwarts sees in you."

"Hermione," Harry sighed, trying not to feel angered at the insinuation that he didn't know how the magical world went, "Because you were raised by Muggles, I'll forgive the ignorance shown just now. However, as Neville, Luna and I know very well, it's not about what the magic sees in you: in fact, the Sorting Hat looks into your head and, given you have a strong enough willpower, you can convince it to put you _exactly_ where you want to go."

"Which in the case of the pale rider is the house of the snakes and poisonous souls," Luna added, her voice adopting a dream-like tone that Harry nodded in agreement with, his face twisted into a cold grin.

"Exactly, Luna," Harry remarked, his voice filled with determination, "And, as I said, I don't care where else, but, for the sake of what I plan on giving to that insolent blonde bastard, _don't_ get sorted into Gryffindor."

"What if we do?" asked Neville, but again, Luna was there to answer the question as the boats were taken under a low-ceiling cliff.

"The Four will be together in more than spirit," she explained, "I wouldn't worry as where one shall go, we all follow: that is what keeps us riding together through the fire and flames of those who stand against Death."

"I'm going to pretend that I understood what that meant," Neville laughed, the others chuckling in agreement, though they each had suspicions about the true meaning behind Luna's words.

Harry just hoped that she was right…

_**FourHorsemen**_

When the boats reached the other side of the lake, Harry stepped out onto the pebbly bank that they'd come to land upon, the other three Horsemen following in his stride as Hagrid led them up a flight of stairs to where a pair of large oak doors were located. When Hagrid knocked three times on the doors, Harry felt like he was going to be sick as he felt a wave of magic pass through the first-years, the source of the magic coming from Hogwarts herself, no doubt recognising those that were about to become part of her community.

He wasn't the only one to feel the rush as, behind him, Hermione, Neville and Luna all shuddered with a mix of disdain and awe at the level of magic that they could feel before, in response to Hagrid's knocks, the doors opened and a stern-looking woman that Harry recognised as Minerva McGonagall answered him, Hagrid now passing on the first years to her. Leading them inside, Minerva gave what could have been described as an inspirational, well-worded and easily-rehearsed little speech about Houses and their time at Hogwarts before she left the students to tidy themselves up.

"Reason number two for not getting into Gryffindor," Harry remarked, indicating where McGonagall had left, "Jason's Potter's so-called noble godmother and old family friend of James 'I'm a Big Pile of Hippogriff Shit' Potter. Anything bothered the Golden Brat of Gryffindor that caused him great sadness, like the fact he'll have to actually use his brains in the classes, and she'd be on the Floo to James faster than you can say Quidditch."

"Got a problem with my Father, have you?" asked an obnoxious voice, which made Harry's hands tighten into fists while Hermione, Neville and Luna saw Jason Potter now standing behind his former brother, the differences between them as clear as crystal. Harry was a head taller than Jason and, partially thanks to his Horseman's Infusion, he was also lean and agile-looking while Jason had what could be described as baby fat on his cheeks and body, his robes looking like they'd come straight out of the manufacturer's aisle while on his shoulder was perched a white kitten with a moon-shaped fur patch on its forehead. Similarly, Jason Potter also had the infamous lightning-bolt mark on his forehead, his blue eyes, which could be compared to the colour of turquoise, now watching Harry's back as he snapped, "Oi: I'm talking to you."

"And I'm not listening," Harry chuckled, turning on his heel, his green eyes now shining brightly as he smirked in triumph at the shocked look that crossed Jason's face as he added, "Hello Jasie: did you miss me?"

There were a few sniggers at the nickname given to the infamous boy wizard, a few of the first-years now noticing the similarities in facial features and appearance between the two. Meanwhile, Jason looked both horrified and embarrassed at the sight of his former elder brother – by one week – looking healthy as a horse and still recalling the name that he'd given Jason as a young boy. Gathering what pride he could, Jason retorted, "Well, what a tangled web we weave? If it isn't my former older brother…emphasis on the _former_ part, wouldn't you say, Harry No Name?"

"Actually," Harry laughed, not even affected by the name, "It's Harry Black, though I do have plans to change that first name as well: oh, and Sirius says hello and hopes you crash Daddy's new Nimbus in your first Quidditch Match. Not that you know how to fly; you barely know how to die, don't you J?"

The reaction was just as Harry had expected: Jason drew his wand and fired off what looked like a Knockback Jinx, though the spell didn't get within two feet of Harry before it was absorbed by a shield that, when Harry looked, he saw to have been cast by Neville, the Rider of Pestilence returning his wand to his robe while Harry added, "Like Father, like Son: a coward's reaction with no real hope for ignoring the simplest of taunts: I daresay that this will be fun."

"Then may the best man win, Snake!" hissed Jason, Harry giving a cold laugh before he looked around, the small audience that their little confrontation had acquired watching to see what the elder brother would do.

"Don't worry Jasie," Harry laughed, dropping his voice so that it sounded like it was coming on the winds of change, "I plan to."

It was at that moment that Professor McGonagall returned, her eyes noticing the closeness of the two former brothers, before Harry gave Jason a curt nod and moved back to his friends' sides, Jason remaining with the red-haired boy that Harry had noticed on the other side of the lake. Leading the first-years into the Great Hall, Minerva didn't see the look of victory that the former elder Potter shared with his circle of friends.

It looked like it had become one-nil before the year had even begun: and Harry was the one with the winning strike…

_**FourHorsemen**_

After a rather wordy little song by the Sorting Hat, Professor McGonagall began calling off names, but, as she got two names into the list, she called out, "Black, Harry!"

With a sigh, as he realised that he should have expected this, Harry approached the hat, giving a curt nod to his godfather, who seemed to be eagerly anticipating what Harry _knew_ to be coming, before he took a seat and watched as the hat covered his eyes.

"Well, well," the voice of the hat whispered in Harry's ears, "Harry Black, the Death Rider, has come to Hogwarts: what an interesting little development this is; but where do you belong?"

"Like you need to ask," Harry remarked, his voice filled with determination, "Where I can cause the most pain and humiliation by beating my former brother physically, mentally, magically and academically: Slytherin, of course."

"Of course," the hat laughed, "I didn't need to ask: it's all here in your head, Master Black; the slyness and anticipation of a leader combined with the swiftness and precision of a serpent's strike. Yes, I daresay that there is no other choice but the snake pit for you: and you need not worry, my little Rider: the same will be said for your brother, sister and chosen one…SLYTHERIN!"

A slight applause greeted Harry's sorting and, as he moved off towards the Slytherin Table, his face showing a triumphant smile, he mused on what the sorting hat had said in the last moments: his chosen one, the same wording that he'd been told by the voice of the Powers when he'd acquired his scythe. This meant, and it didn't take a genius to figure it out, but it meant that Harry's chosen one was one of his Horsemen, but in what way would they be chosen and, more importantly, when would it happen?

Paying attention to the Sorting, Harry felt like laughing when he heard Hermione's, Neville's and Luna's names all called out, each of them having the hat barely touch their foreheads before it declared, "SLYTHERIN: SLYTHERIN: SLYTHERIN!"

With the Four Horsemen united, Harry glanced back to the Sorting just as his former brother was sorted, as he'd guessed, into the House of Gryffindor, the fearsome foursome sighing with relief as they'd actually been wondering where a brain-less, senseless idiot like Jason Potter would get sorted.

Secretly, Harry had been worried that his blonde-brained ex-brother would have been sorted into Slytherin…

_**FourHorsemen**_

After a rather heart-warming and fatigue-drawing feast, the first year Slytherins were led down to the dungeons by Marcus Flint and Cassie Moon, the sixth-year prefects, Harry and his circle of friends obvious to every member of Slytherin as they remained as close as kin while they were led to the dungeons. Reaching a black-bricked section of the wall, Marcus turned to the students before he explained, "The password to our dorm changes on the first of every month for secrecy and protective purposes; anyone seen betraying the code of Slytherin will find themselves in the company of Professor Severus Snape, our Head of House: you have been warned."

With that, he turned back to the brick wall before he announced, "Serpenterra!"

The brick wall seemed to move aside and fold back almost like the building blocks of a Rubik Cube, the first-years only raising eyebrows or muttering about the magic involved with their dorm as they entered the Slytherin Common Room. An array of plush leather chairs and sofas were set around a warm fire with three tables that could be used for study, two separate passageways leading off to the dorms, while everything in the Common Room was decorated in the Slytherin colours of green and silver. Over the fireplace, Harry's left eyebrow lifted in amused curiosity as he saw a portrait of a sharp-featured wizard dressed in emerald and silver robes with a King Cobra curled around his neck like a scarf: he didn't need to guess who that was as he knew he would soon be descended by blood from that man: Salazar Slytherin.

"Good evening, Slytherins," the monotone voice of Severus Snape cut Harry's attention off as he looked to where his godfather had clearly come through a passageway that was connected to his office. Severus wasn't known for doing things the easy way. As he moved into the room, his robes billowing like the wings of some sort of bat – Harry making a note to ask him how he does that – the Potions Master glanced once to his godson and his friends before he spoke, "As Mr Flint has already told you the basics about this dorm, I feel it necessary to add a few things: first, each dorm will be divided between even numbers of students; the names of those students are on the doors of your dormitory and are _unchangeable_! Once you're in, you're in: _no exceptions_!"

'He always did have a knack for holding an audience's attention,' Harry thought with a soft smile, watching as Severus then glanced to Hermione before he spoke again.

"Each dorm will have a copy of our House rules and motto: they are _not_ to be ignored or disobeyed; anyone found doing either will find out why I protect my snakes so well…as they will not be seen by any other teacher save myself. Now, finally, as you may have noticed, we have a few…differences this year as far as students are concerned: if anyone, and I mean anyone, brings down one of our new snakes on their bloodline, history or families, I will not be pleased. Which is why I will direct your attention right now to rule number one of our House: Your House is your family; family sticks together."

Harry had to try very hard not to laugh at that little piece of information: more than anyone, he was the prime example of how family _didn't_ stick together…which gave him a little idea. Clearing his throat, he didn't flinch as Severus glanced to him before he asked, "Yes, Mr Black? Do you have a question?"

"I was just wondering if I may speak with my Housemates before we say goodnight, Master Severus?" asked Harry, using the honorific for any student of a Master of the craft like Severus. Hearing the address, several students gasped, but Severus just inclined his head, muttering _good work_ when Harry stood close to him.

Facing the sea of emerald-green, Harry took a deep breath before he explained, "I just wanted to take this opportunity to say this now to avoid any troubles later: I am Harry Black, formerly known as Harry James Potter, the disowned son of James and Lily and the ex-brother of the Brat-That-Can't-Die. I wasn't informed of my disowning until Master Severus took me to Diagon Alley over the summer and, following this, my true Fatherly figure, Lord Sirius Orion Black, requested me to think about becoming his son in blood as well as name. Now I've accepted and, when I'm adopted, I'll have a new name as well as a new family and, just to avoid confusion, I'll say it now. I _HATE_ Jason Potter and his Gryffindor sheep's flock and have only a desire to embarrass and humiliate him to the levels where he's no better than a Squib by the time I'm done with him. I hope that I can count on my fellow first-years to help me with this and, just as a warning, I should tell you that Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood are my best friends and any insult to them is an insult to me. I know of the name that Slytherins use for witches and wizards like Hermione and I don't like it: if I hear that any Slytherin here has abused her or upset her, then you won't have to worry about Master Severus, because _I'll_ deal with you! Thanks."

With that, he stepped down and Severus, trying his hardest to keep his apathetic mask in place, merely smirked as he saw Hermione thank Harry for his words while a few of the other students looked somewhere between afraid and awed at the courage and determination to protect his own that had been shown by the new member of House Black. Clearing his throat to attract the attention of his House, Severus then added, "That is just what I mean when I say that you are not to discredit your Housemates for their differences: in here and out there, we are one; now, it's late and you all have tomorrow to get used to the surroundings of Hogwarts. So, it's time for you all to go to bed: good-night."

With the last word, Severus turned and left the Common Room, this time taking the main entrance while Harry and Neville looked to Hermione and Luna, all four of them sharing an unspoken agreement between their glances. Though the dorms were separate by gender, they would still look out for one another and they would definitely stick together.

With a curt nod that said more than words could say, the Four Horsemen departed for their dorms, Harry and Neville actually interested when they found that their dorm was shared with one Draco Malfoy, a distant cousin of the Blacks and someone that had been under scrutiny by the Potters for a long time. Opening the door to their dorm, the duo found said Malfoy Heir already standing near a bed that was furthest from the door, the middle bed of the trio holding Harry's trunk while the one nearest the door held Neville's.

For a long, almost awkward moment, nobody said anything, but then, with a sigh, Malfoy spoke up, "That was an interesting little speech out there, Black: I have to say that I'm surprised my cousin supports someone like you, but then again, he has shown some Slytherin qualities lately. Now, given what you said out there, it's clear to me that you know who your friends are and I admire that. However, if you or your…friends need anything sorted around here, I want you to know that you can count on my help, okay…cousin?"

"I'll think about it," Harry answered, giving Draco a reason to show shock on his face as Harry added, "I don't let anyone tell me what to do, Malfoy, and I don't like being used for someone else's gain. As the son of Sirius Black, I know what that means for other members of the Black Family, such as the Malfoys, but I'm not a meal ticket to getting back into my…into Sirius' good graces, understand?"

"I…I guess so," Draco answered, a part of him stunned at the iciness in Black's tone at the mention of being used and being told what to do. This was no Potter; that much was obvious and it was also clear that, while one of his best friends was Muggleborn, it was also clear that Harry was someone who watched out for his circle and his own contentment. A true Slytherin-hearted student if there ever was one; clearing his throat, Draco added, "I didn't mean for it to sound like I wanted something from you…and hey, while we're on topic, my friends call me Draco and, since we're close to family, I suppose that the same can be said for you, eh, Black?"

"Then for now, Draco, you can call me Harry…though I'd much rather that you call me Master," he added, giving Draco an icy emerald-eyed glare, which made the blonde-haired Slytherin gulp with a look of fear…before Harry broke down in fits of hysterics, shaking his head with amusement as he added, "I'm kidding, Draco: it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah," Draco agreed, his voice shaking slightly as he watched Harry leave for the bathroom that was joined to each dormitory; once the raven-haired Slytherin was out of earshot, Draco turned to Neville and asked, "Was…was he joking about that?"

"Maybe," Neville replied, moving to his own bed as he hid a smile at the fear tactic used by his leader.

Settling onto his bed, Neville glanced to his bedside where the copy of the rules that Snape had talked about were posted; as he read them, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself:

_1. Your House is your family. Family stands together._

_2. The common room does not belong to YOU. It belongs to everyone. Keep it neat._

_3. Arguments with another Slytherin are only permitted in Slytherin House. Refer to the FIRST RULE._

_4. Study time is QUIET time and is mandatory. You will receive schedules on a weekly basis._

_5. NO ONE is allowed to skip House meetings. House Meetings are almost always scheduled._

_7. The Hogwarts House Elfs are not your servants. Keeping your dorm rooms and the common room clean is your responsibility._

_8. Dorm inspections once a month. These are NOT scheduled. You are forewarned._

_9. All meals are mandatory. No sweets in your dorms. No sweets after 8pm. Those taking a Nutrition Potion will come to me or Madame Pomfrey once a week._

_10. Bedtimes: First years - 9pm_

_Second thru Fourth years - 10pm_

_Fifth thru Sixth years - 11pm_

_Seventh years - Midnight_

_11. Your House is your family. Family stands together._

_These are the rules I expect everyone in Slytherin to follow; to the letter. They are, however, not the only rules. You will discover in your seven years here that I will give you further guidelines and rules that you can take past the walls of Hogwarts._

_Finally, never forget the Secret of Slytherin:_

_Plan in ways a Ravenclaw finds sound  
Blend like a Hufflepuff into the background  
As for the Gryffindor, learn from their mistakes  
And be ready to react, Slytherin, swift as a snake._

_**Serpens tacitus perspicasis et celeris est**_

_Professor S. Snape_

'The Serpent is silent, observant and swift,' Neville thought, still smiling as he saw Harry returning from his night-time washing and changing, his expression weary from the day's events and encounters.

Life in Slytherin was going to be many things…but it certainly wasn't going to be boring…

**A shorter chapter 3 and Harry has made an impact and a warning to Slytherins concerning his past and their future, but will there be anyone that doesn't listen?**

**Also, what sort of war will be waged with an age-old rivalry reborn between two ex-brothers and two Houses with two different beliefs and leaders?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Harry has a few choice words for his former brother and a warning that doesn't go down well with a certain big-headed Lord; also, Harry chooses a new name and has a little surprise given to him in one of his lessons:**

**Please Read and Review**

**AN: I would like to thank etherian for the rules and motto of Slytherin; they're originally used in the story **_**Nobody Cared**_**, which is an amazing story; all rights go to the original creator;**


	4. Opening Hell's Gates

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and it's sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Aflibble: I do have a name picked out, but as for the celestial theme, I may use that as a middle name: any ideas are, of course, welcome;**

**ADVPhoenix: All in due time, my friend; I'm glad you're enjoying the story: I'm certainly enjoying writing it;**

**LadyGagaSlashLover: That's a bit extreme, isn't it? I'm happy you're enjoying the story, but watch how you show that enjoyment;**

**Mischievous Shadows: That's an interesting little idea and it would be impressive for what's to happen: I guess I can at least think about it;**

**StormyFireDragon: The twins thing – as I think it's in the first chapter I've got it written – is a mistake: Harry was born before Jason on the infamous date, though people have seen them as twins because of how close their births were: I think I'll have Harry explain that to the others soon, so thanks for the point, Storm;**

**Pirk: Yeah, they're not twins;**

'_The Serpent is silent, observant and swift,' Neville thought, still smiling as he saw Harry returning from his night-time washing and changing, his expression weary from the day's events and encounters._

_Life in Slytherin was going to be many things…but it certainly wasn't going to be boring…_

Chapter 4: Opening Hell's Gates

When Harry awoke on the first morning of his time at Hogwarts, he wasn't surprised to find his brother and sisters-in-arms already waiting for him down in the Common Room, the four of them leaving the dormitories together and making their way towards the Great Hall. As they walked, Harry glanced once to the two female Horsemen before he asked, "Any troubles?"

"Not really," answered Hermione, guessing that Harry was referring to the aftermath of his little speech the night before, "Luna and I are both in the same dorm with a young girl named Tracey Davis: she seems to be one of those who, like me, enjoy showing her intelligence without showing off. But, aside from her, we're pretty much on our own: Parkinson, Greengrass and Bulstrode were in the other first-year girls' dormitory."

"As long as they don't bother you, I don't care who it is," Harry remarked, keeping stride with his words as he moved towards the Great Hall, "Though I wish the same could be said for Neville and I: our dorm is shared by my soon-to-be-cousin Draco Malfoy and he seems to be someone that likes to think he's all that."

"Now, Harry," Neville piped up, "That's not fair; he took your warning last night to heart and hasn't really said anything since then."

"It's only the first day, Neville," Harry reminded him, just as the quartet reached the Great Hall, each of them taking in the splendour of the place through different means. However, as Harry approached the Slytherin Table, his sense of splendour was ruined when he saw his ex-brother walk in a few minutes behind them flanked by the red-head that Harry had noticed the night before. Both of them were laughing joyfully and, as Jason locked eyes with Harry, the young Potter Heir scoffed before he muttered something in Weasley's ear – Harry recalling the name from the Sorting Feast – and, just like an obedient yes-man, Weasley's laugh echoed through the hall.

"Ignore him," Hermione muttered in Harry's ear, taking his hand and leading him to the Slytherin Table, "He's not worth it: not yet anyway."

"I know," Harry growled, his hands curled into fists as he saw an obvious gesture of what could be described as amusement being sent in the direction of the Silver Quartet, before more laughter echoed through the Great Hall, just as the other students entered, some of them confused while others were disgusted at the lack of proper manners coming from the Potter and Weasley children. As a few of the Slytherins joined them, Harry whispered to his friends, "But the first chance that I get, I'm taking it: he doesn't get to think that he can crawl under my skin like…well like one of _your_ little weapons, Neville."

"Just say the word," Neville whispered, keeping a comforting hand on Harry's arm, "And I'll see about something like dragon pox or seriously infected boils being sent in his direction."

"A nice idea," Harry agreed, before he glanced to each of the foursome in turn as he added, "But this year's about recon work: we need time to adjust to our gifts and discover whether or not we have any limits or advantages that we can use. However, as I said, the first chance that I get to teach that scum a lesson, I'm taking it: his soul is _mine_!"

The torches overhead suddenly began to flicker and sway in a cold breeze, which prompted the other Horsemen to keep close to their leader as they knew that it would be a bad idea for any of them to reveal their secrets in a moment of weakness.

However, if Death came out and decided to strike back, then it would be worse than bad: it would be catastrophic at this stage in the game; no, they had to do their best to control their powers and, for the other three, such a feat meant that they would have to help Harry tackle his demons before he wound up bringing a few to the mortal realm…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Throughout their first few weeks at Hogwarts, the Four Horsemen found that each of them in turn had their own demons to deal with: when you took the shock from a few of the students at the ex-brother of the Boy-Who-Lived as well as a prominent pureblood's heir being sorted into Slytherin, added that fact to the first ever Muggleborn becoming a member of the snake pit and then, on top of all that, recognised the way that the four stuck together so tightly, it was almost child's play for them to become the source of gossip and war-mongering rumours.

Neville was the one that got hit in the worst way: on their second Friday, he had barely sat down to breakfast before a red envelope had arrived with a regal-looking owl, the owl also holding a small sack and the envelope sealed with a crest that Neville identified with the Longbottom Family. With trembling fingers, Neville had opened it and, just in the nick of time, Harry and Hermione had crafted Silencing Wards as a booming male voice had echoed around the Slytherin Table.

"NEVILLE FRANKLIN LONGBOTTOM: WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME ARE YOU DOING IN SLYTHERIN WITH THAT BLOOD-TRAITOR? DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR YOUR FAMILY OR ARE YOU JUST AS THICK AS YOU SEEM TO BE? AND TO HEAR OF THIS FROM NONE OTHER THAN JASON RATHER THAN HAVE YOU, MY OWN SON, TELL ME: YOU'VE BETRAYED ME, NEVILLE AND, FOR THAT, I AM NOT SORRY FOR THIS! I, FRANK DAVID LONGBOTTOM, LORD OF LONGBOTTOM HOUSE, HEREBY DISOWN AND DISINHERIT THE ONE KNOWN NOW AS NEVILLE FROM THE HOUSE! I HAVE NO SON! I DO NOT CLAIM HIM! YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF; HAVE A NICE LIFE…DEATH EATER!"

Then, just as the letter had finished, a beam of black light had flown from the envelope and struck Neville, sending him to the floor as a powerful magical drain took its toll on his core, leaving him weakened and frightened. Because the other members were busy with their young companion, neither of them saw Harry glance to the Gryffindor Table where his ex-brother looked like the cat that had caught the canary: his smile was Cheshire-Cat like and his so-called dorm-mates were high-fiving him and sharing amused laughs.

"You really have no limits, do you?" asked Harry, his lips only forming the words due to the silencing wards; he supposed that the Gryffindorks were all congratulating Jackass after he'd sent the letter, no doubt aware of what would be the result. It took all of Harry's self-control not to summon his scythe and rip through the Gryffindors, sending their souls through the Veil, though the sudden appearance of Severus also helped as the man met the enraged eyes of his godson.

"My office: bring…Neville with you." His words were commanding, but also considerate and so, with assistance from the other two, Harry led Neville to Severus' office where he was told to leave the man with the Second Rider. Harry didn't want to, but Neville argued that he would be all right and, since they were so close, he would inform the others of what had been said.

It was over two and a half hours later that Neville returned looking much happier and much healthier, his eyes filled with a new light as he asked to meet his companions alone: going to a private area of the Slytherin Dormitory, Harry cast the same wards he'd done in the Great Hall before Neville told him, "Severus…he said that he wants to adopt me: not only because I'm one of his snakes, but also because I'm your friend and ally, Harry. He doesn't care about the secrets that we have or how exactly we're so…unique, he said he just wants to keep his promise to you. I said I'd need time to answer him…so, what do you think?"

Much to Neville's surprise, Harry had answered in the positive, though he did explain that Neville would need to have Harry present at the adoption ceremony so that he could explain any changes that Severus would experience. He also told Neville to hold off accepting until a time close to Halloween, a date that would _really_ stick it to Potter and his sheep-brained cronies.

"Besides," Harry added, a shark-like smile crossing his face as he finished his statement, "I need to show James Potter that payback is a real bitch!"

_**FourHorsemen**_

When Sirius heard the ferocious knocks at the door to his London townhouse, he actually smiled when he considered an old edict about what goes around comes around. The point was only proven when he opened the door and found James Potter standing on his doorstep, his face a deep shade of red and his hand clutching a letter that held the Black Family Seal.

"Lord Potter," Sirius remarked, trying his hardest not to laugh at the sense of humiliation that he could feel coming off his former friend, "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Shut your mouth, Black," snarled James, thrusting the letter into Sirius' hands as he added, "I want you to have a few words with your _son_ about sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong."

Looking to the letter, Sirius let out a bark of laughter as he saw Harry's handwriting on the letter:

_To the Right Honourable – though I use that term lightly – Lord James Marcus Potter,_

_I won't beat around the bush, you useless sack of deer's shit: I hereby state that you and your son_ _have _REALLY_ crossed a line in trying to get even with me; as if disowning me wasn't enough, your precious blonde bimbo sent a letter to Lord Frank Longbottom announcing that his son, a boy that is considered my closest friend in _SLYTHERIN_, Neville was one of us: and how did Frank react?_

_I'll tell you, you pile of – _"Where did Harry learn words like _that_?" Sirius wondered as he read on – _he disowned Neville and disinherited him _IN PUBLIC, IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE GREAT HALL! _He didn't turn up at the school; no, he sent a Howler and had the magic of the family tied to it; Neville was weakened and, were it not for Severus Snape, our Head of House, he may never have recovered. Thankfully, Jay-Bear, it seems that my godfather knows what true loyalty is and so do I: Neville is like a brother to me, more than your blue-eyed arse of a son ever was, and, on the honour of my family, my TRUE family, I vow that I will protect him and keep him safe and strong, though I should now start calling him Neville Snape as Severus offered to adopt him as Sirius is going to complete the adoption to me._

_So, for the record, here's my final word on the matter: your son is now free game! Neville is safe and you have done nothing more than piss me off, James: remember that what happens – and I have a lovely little date in mind for my little repayment – is YOUR doing. I KNOW you gave Frank the idea to do that rather than make it personal and proper: you're not even worth the Lordship you so voraciously flaunt, you sack of shit!_

_I can't wait to become a Black in every sense because, no matter how strong YOU are, you forget one thing: the Blacks have friends in EVERY corner of our community and, no matter what, I'll make sure that you realise how stupid you were in letting me go; you've taken the chains off, Jamie-boy, well, get ready to meet the vicious beast that you thought you could contain: oh, and don't worry about Jasie: I'll take VERY good care of him and his ilk._

_Laters, your Fraudship;_

_Harry Black_

"So…what are you complaining about?" asked Sirius, looking up to James with eyes of victory, "At least _my son_ has the nerve and balls to do what you couldn't; go right for the jugular and it seems that it worked. Also, I have to applaud Frank: I mean _you_ didn't even inform Harry of _his _disowning, so, ex-son or not, Neville should hold his head high. Also, I guess I'll have a little word with Severus; let him know that, as of this day, he and his new son will be under the protection and House Alliance of House Black. By the way, I don't suppose you know if _my son_ has chosen a new name to get rid of the filth that's stained on that common name of his, do you?"

James didn't answer; too angry to respond, he turned on the spot and Apparated away; however, as he left, Sirius then reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter that Harry had sent not an hour ago, a single word written on the parchment;

_Dante_

'Message sent, received and understood, kiddo,' Sirius thought, liking the sound of the name chosen by his son…

_**FourHorsemen**_

"Hey…freak!"

Harry, just leaving Potions, stopped, smirked and turned to see Jason Potter approaching him, his face showing a look of anger and what Harry could have considered determination, if Jason wasn't such a daddy's boy and felt a need to do everything through his fraudship Father.

Adopting a look of innocence, Harry asked, "Something I can help you with, Jasie?"

"Yeah," Jason replied, before he took a swing at Harry, only to have his hand intercepted by Harry's, the young Slytherin shaking his head, a cold smile on his face as he held Jason's hand in a snake-like grip.

"Fighting like a common Muggle, Jasie?" he taunted, "Whatever would Daddy say? Oh that's right, he's not here and he's a bit busy having one of his temper tantrums because someone finally told him the truth: who was that? Oh, that's right…it was me."

"You think that standing up for the blood-traitor will save you from him?" asked Jason, though he couldn't release his hand from Harry's grip, "One owl and you'll be expelled, you piece of filth: how did you like living with Muggles that no-one wanted?"

"I found it very relaxing," Harry reasoned, "No broken record Father thinking that I'm unworthy of his name; no whining little brother complaining that he didn't have the newest broom and, oh yes, no-one to stop me from learning about my magical potential: such as this."

As he said the last words, Harry reached into his magic and dropped the temperature in Jason's fingers, a sound of stiffening bones being frozen rushing through Jason's hands before Harry then lifted his other hand and pushed Jason away magically. Examining his own hand, Harry sighed before he muttered, "Damn, broke a nail: ah well, you may want to go and warm that hand up, Jasie: it'll become infected with frostbite if not treated."

"Filthy snake," growled Jason, drawing his wand with his other hand, though as he did so, he was met with four wands in retort, all four of the wands held by the Horsemen as Harry laughed and shook his head mockingly.

"How does it feel, Jasie? Being outnumbered by someone that has real power, real friends and a real life rather than the preppy cat-walk modelling career that Daddy dearest put onto you?"

"_Stupefy!_" Jason snapped, though once again, his spell was intercepted by a shield courtesy of the newest Snape Heir, Harry now lifting his own wand in response.

"_Serpensortia,_" he hissed, launching what appeared to be a Black Mamba from the end of his wand, the most poisonous serpent in the non-magical world. Facing the serpent, Harry then asked, "You know something, Jasie? I actually discovered something really interesting in my time at the orphanage: want to see?"

Facing the serpent, Harry took a deep breath before his next words came out in a series of snappish tones and sharp hisses, /_I apologise for disturbing your sleep, beautiful creature: I just need you to put the fear of God into this little whelp; do that for me and you may stay with me. I could use a new friend that only I can speak to._/

The Black Mamba lifted its head, its jaws parting, revealing its poisonous fangs, a small trail of poison escaping its maw as it then hissed back, /_I sense great power in you, Speaker of the Art; I will serve you as you wish of me._/

/_Good boy,_/ Harry chuckled, before he glanced to a petrified-like Jason, who was staring at the fangs and the jaws of the snake with fear. With a dramatic sigh, Harry then added, "Don't worry, Jasie: he won't attack…well, not unless I tell him to: interesting little gift, Parseltongue; my House Founder had it and now, so do I. Ah well: live and learn; oh and don't worry, he won't eat you: I mean he's not, I don't know, a Runespoor or a Basilisk, but, given time, I suppose I could summon one."

"D-D-D-Dark W-W-W-Wizard," Jason gasped, before he turned on his heel and fled like the devil himself was on his heels, leaving Harry to pick up the snake, a few more hisses escaping Harry's lips before he turned to face the other Horsemen.

"Whatever floats his boat," he muttered, before he stroked the head of the Black Mamba with a gentle touch as he added, "Guys, say hello to Lucifer: my new pet."

_**FourHorsemen**_

In their third week of term, Harry was sat in Defence with the Ravenclaws, his eyes lazily drifting over the pages assigned by Professor Quirrell, a stammering fool who couldn't go five minutes without sounding like a jumping CD, before the Rider of Death suddenly looked up, the seal on his neckline growing cold with an alert. Narrowing his eyes, Harry concentrated on the power in his seal before he whispered to no-one in particular, "What's got this thing going?"

"Harry," whispered Hermione from the seat to his left, "We felt it too: but because you're…you know, the First, you can sense it better."

"Sense what?" asked Harry, glancing to the other Horsemen, Neville and Luna sat on his right, both of them sharing in his sense of alertness from their seals.

"A soul," Hermione replied, leaning in close as though she was sharing a note with Harry; however, as she did so, she added in a low voice, "Death's gift is that he can see, sever and affect the soul wavelength of another being: I guess with your power growing and bonding to Ragnarok, you've become stronger in the Soul Perception sense as well. There must be something around here that's triggered it: try to focus on it and you could see where it is."

Clenching his hands, Harry appeared to be checking the book as he whispered, "How do you know this?"

"Damien told me," Hermione answered, looking slightly embarrassed as she explained, "While you took your free lesson last week to study in the library, I went to an empty room and summoned him: he said that our powers would grow and gave yours as an example. Go ahead: just focus on the dark inside you and draw out the Sight."

"Okay," Harry sighed, closing his eyes for a moment while, deep inside him, a strange coldness began to take root inside his stomach, a shiver passing up his spinal cord until it touched the area around his brain. From there, the power started to move through Harry's five senses and, when he opened his eyes again, Harry heard a gasp from Hermione; he would later discover that, when invoking the power, his eyes turned black as night.

"What do you see?" asked Neville, Harry answering him with a shake of the head as he glanced slowly around the room; however, as his eyes fell on Quirrell, who seemed to be moving around the Ravenclaws with a practiced eye, a strange sight met Harry's eyes. In his Perception state, Harry saw the auras and souls of those around him, each of them represented by a light or dark colour depending on their magical alliance; however, on Quirrell's head, Harry's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he saw a blackness that was only matched by his eyes. This blackness seemed to be latched onto the Defence Professor's soul, the blackness shaped like something that was a cross between a serpent and a strange wolf-like creature. As Harry glanced to Quirrell, he gave a cough before he let his mind and instincts as a Rider take over: the soul started to change and shift until it was as clear as day to Harry, Death now showing a look of shock on his face.

"No," he whispered, his hands trembling with a darkened fury as he added, "It can't be."

"What do you see?" asked Hermione, Harry not even having the courage to say it; his eyes, which had returned to emerald in his shock, now flicked to her and Hermione saw what could be described as fear, actual, living fear in the eyes of the First Rider. She also noticed that Harry's quill was scribbling down on a spare bit of parchment before he passed it to Neville, Luna and, finally, Hermione.

As she read the written information, Hermione seemed to understand Harry's fear:

_Quirrell's soul is a host vessel…for VOLDEMORT! I HAVE to kill him before anyone else figures this out: his soul…it belongs to ME!_

The sound of the bell ringing for the end of class cut off any questions or conversations between the Horsemen, though, as he left his seat, Harry grabbed the parchment from Hermione and fled in a manner similar to what he'd provided for others that had gotten in his way;

Like the devil himself was on his heels…

**Chapter 4 and Harry has seen the truth, but can he muster enough strength to take on his enemy for the second time in his life?**

**Also, what will the outcome be for the new Black Heir and Snape Heir after being humiliated by their birth families?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Harry and Neville gain new names as the adoption process goes ahead; also, Halloween comes around and Harry decides to kill two birds with one stone as he exacts his revenge on two parties; and, in the aftermath of Halloween, Harry gains a mysterious new ally and learns a secret about him and the Horsemen;**

**Please Read and Review**

**AN: I hope that people like what I chose for Harry's new name; when I thought of it, I was reminded of the famous quote by the writer of the same title: 'Abandon hope all ye who enter here' – sounds appropriate for a new name for a Rider of Death, wouldn't you say?**


	5. Goodbye Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Tsukiyo Tenshi: I have a nice little mind game in mind courtesy of Death when all is said and done;**

**DarkHeart81: Well, like I say at the end here, the next chapter pretty much centres around the confrontation;**

**ArchAngelGundam: I have a few nice ideas, especially surrounding the old edict of the eternal war of Good vs. Evil;**

**Kitsune Mask: THANK YOU! I wish other reviewers would realise that's the reason for most things happening in my stories;**

**Zuriahthedragonking: Lily will get her chance: whether or not I give it to her remains to be seen;**

**CloudBloodbane: The first one, though the idea could also have come from DMC; either way, it's amazing;**

**StormyFireDragon: You'll get two of those wishes fairly soon, Storm: the backlash is coming and I feel sorry for anyone riding it;**

**FireKing500: An interesting little idea there: who knows? I may do something along those lines;**

**Penny is wise: I haven't decided yet, but she will be making a bid for redemption;**

_The sound of the bell ringing for the end of class cut off any questions or conversations between the Horsemen, though, as he left his seat, Harry grabbed the parchment from Hermione and fled in a manner similar to what he'd provided for others that had gotten in his way;_

_Like the devil himself was on his heels…_

Chapter 5: Goodbye Harry Potter

Ragnarok was in a state of untameable fury;

Storming around the realm of shadows, his nostrils and his eyes burning with the mystical white fires that burned in the bodies of the four steeds, the stallion of Death stomped the ground before he reared up, whinnying in rage before his hooves collided with the ground in a tremendous crash. Had it been the mortal world, Ragnarok would have likely split the world in two; however, in the presence of his brothers and sister, the stallion merely cracked the darkness.

'_What's got your mane in a bunch?_' asked Alucard, keeping his distance from Ragnarok as he watched the stallion pacing back and forth.

'_Lord Death is frightened,_' Ragnarok answered, his voice booming around the shadows, '_Something has stirred his Soul Perception and now he fears for his own spiritual balance. And there is _nothing_ I can do to calm him because he does not summon me! What about you?_' he suddenly asked, turning his eyes on Damien, the Stallion of War, '_Has Lady War sensed any disturbance?_'

'_She summoned me nearly one week ago,_' Damien answered, his voice as calm and apathetic as a careless, emotionless soul, '_We spoke about the powers of the Four and how Lord Death was an example: but I did not sense a disturbance in the balance of the Four Souls._'

'_You should calm yourself down, Ragnarok,_' Delilah advised him, her darker appearance making her look like she had become one with the shadows, '_If Lord Death or any of the Four are concerned, we shall be summoned: besides, we should conserve our energies: with Samhain so close, who knows how it will affect the balance?_'

'_I just…I just wish I knew what disturbed my Master's soul so badly,_' Ragnarok growled, settling himself down on his haunches as he snorted at the ground, '_It's like he has experienced the embodiment of the First._'

'_The First would not disturb the fates of the Four,_' Alucard reasoned, settling down next to his brother, '_His weapon would aid Lord Death in all outcomes; in the meantime, all we can do is wait: if Lord Death or any of the Four need our help, they will summon us._'

'_I…I suppose you're right,_' Ragnarok snorted, though his acceptance of the fact didn't stop him feeling the pain and fear from his Rider…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Back at Hogwarts, the Four were gathered with their leader in an abandoned classroom, their location and privacy assured thanks to the research from the Snape and Black Heirs in their youth. Though Neville didn't like the fear that was shown in Harry's eyes as he moved away from the door and over towards the window, his eyes glancing out to a rain-soaked Hogwarts exterior.

Once they were sure that it was safe to speak, Hermione asked, "Did…did you mean what…what you said in that note, Harry? Professor Quirrell is a…a host for…for…_him?_"

"I did," Harry answered, fingering a spot over his heart as he explained his point, "People always assumed that Jackass was the bloody Boy-Who-Lived because of the scar on his forehead; what they never knew was that Voldemort's magic simply ricocheted off of me and struck him. It didn't leave a scar on me: at least not one that could be seen: but I could feel it…every day of my life, I felt it."

"Felt what?" asked Luna, watching as Harry turned to her, his eyes still showing an expression of fear as he faced the Horsemen.

"His magic," Harry explained, his hand now massaging his heart, "It seemed to…to be absorbed by me; like in the defence of my life, I became some sort of magic-devouring vampire and I fed on his power. Whatever the reason, I know this much: I'll never forget the sense of that monster's magic: Quirrell _is_ Voldemort and, one way or another, I am going to feed on his soul and destroy him _once and for all!_"

His emerald-green eyes seemed to glow as he emphasised the point, a chill blowing through the classroom that stirred the comforts of the other Horsemen, each of them trembling before the power of Death. Lowering his hand, Harry then continued, "For now though, we need some information: why is the snake-faced, child-murdering little shit back and why's he come to Hogwarts?"

"It's kind of obvious to the second," Luna confessed, keeping her blue eyes on her leader as this little gathering had suddenly turned into a sharing session of information between the Riders. "There's something here that he wants: I don't think it's Potter or his ilk; no, I think that there's something here that will, he believes, bring him back as a full being."

"Then we need to find out what that thing is," Harry instructed, his eyes narrowed as he told them, "It's not much longer before Halloween night: I have this distinct impression that Voldemort will make his move by then; however, at the same time, Halloween, or Samhain as it's known to some circles, is also celebrated in homage to the forces commanding what I represent: Death. So, as a little bonus to the celebrations of that night, we need to make sure that we cut Voldemort off before he succeeds."

"How do we do that?" asked Hermione, a part of her seemingly awed by the way that Harry became a leader to the Horsemen so easily.

"Information," Harry answered, folding his arms as he closed his eyes, appearing to think on the situation as he continued, "We have a little over a month and we need to do as much as we can to discover what's here and why Voldemort wants it. At the same time, I don't think it would be advisable for me to react to Quirrell's presence every time I have lessons with him: now, if there _is_ something here at Hogwarts, then there's one potential source we could use."

"What?" asked Neville, though he wished he hadn't asked as Harry turned his cold green eyes on the Rider of Pestilence, his voice as cold as the realms of death he now represented.

"Your Father."

_**FourHorsemen**_

Severus Snape was a man that had a mission in mind when he'd told the ex-Longbottom Heir that he would adopt him as his son: part of that mission involved staying true to the promise that he would be there for his godson while another part, the bigger part, was enjoying the abject humiliation that would be felt by Potter when he realised he'd lost more than moral support in such a small space of time. He had lost his eldest son to the man that had apparently been his best friend and, though they could try and hide it as much as they could, Severus had seen it in the way that Harry and Neville carried themselves with the young Miss Lovegood and Miss Granger.

Something bound the four in a bond stronger than House relations and allegiance: it was like a brotherhood and sisterhood had been formed between the four, making them one as long as they were together. On top of that, Severus couldn't help but be reminded of the way that a certain Dark Lord had led his circle at Hogwarts whenever he saw Harry guiding, learning, training and socialising with the other three members of his circle. He was the Alpha of the group, the leader and commander who gave the orders while respecting the other three for their courage and friendship, but whatever it was that bound them, it was clear that Harry was the head of the group.

As much as Severus wanted Harry to actually come out and tell him what this bond entailed, the Potions Master knew that he needed to respect the boy's wishes and so, through his adoption of the young man that was clearly the right-hand to the leader of the pack, Severus hoped that he was gaining Harry's trust. Clearly, Harry's soon-to-be-Father didn't know much about this little united front either as Black hadn't had much contact with his soon-to-be-Heir since the day that Harry had requested to use the name Black on his records with Gringotts.

Personally, Severus was happy that Sirius had finally grown a pair and helped someone other than the shepherd that was James Potter; in that one moment, Severus had officially forgiven Sirius for everything he'd done and known that, when the time was right, Sirius would be told the truth as well. Or maybe, like Severus, Sirius was being tested to show just where his loyalties laid, but there was no denying that the man had clearly seen it too: the way that Harry carried himself: he was certainly _not_ James Potter's son any longer.

KNOCK, KNOCK!

The sound of a soft hand knocking at the door to his office cut off Severus' train of thought, the eyes of the Potions Master narrowing as he seemed to feel an air of coldness about the person on the other side of the door. Rising from his seat, he asked, "Who is it?"

"Harry," came the answer from the Black Heir, "I'm with the others: can we speak with you, Severus?"

"Come in, Harry," Severus replied, releasing the locks around his door before he also cast a powerful privacy ward: he wouldn't allow anyone to know the secrets or needs of his godson unless Harry wished it himself. As he had said, when Harry walked into the office, he was accompanied by Neville, Hermione and Luna, all four of Severus' snakes gathering around his desk before Harry closed the door, the wards keeping them in and others out. Clearing his throat, Severus tried to ignore the sense of coldness from the four Slytherins as he asked him, "Something I can help you with, Harry?"

"I have a question and I _know_ you have the answers," Harry explained, leaning casually against Severus' desk, his eyes on the man as he told him, "Tell me the truth and you will have officially earned my trust, Sev: try to lie to me in any way and I will never forgive you…never, understand?"

"Very well," Severus remarked, swallowing hard as he just _knew_ that Harry had the means to make good on his threat; in fact, it wasn't even a threat, it was a promise. "What would you like to know?"

"What is being kept here at Hogwarts and why would Voldemort be after it?"

Severus certainly hadn't been expecting _that_ question from Harry, but then again, it actually explained the do-or-die attitude of the young Slytherin as he had addressed his godfather. Even more fortunate for him, Severus _did_ know what Harry was talking about: he had felt a stirring in a certain mark on his arm around a certain professor and he had known what was going on. On top of that, Severus was also one of those that had defended the item in question, so, when it was all added up, it came out with one clear-cut answer: Severus could and would tell Harry everything.

"It's the Philosopher's Stone," he explained to Harry, earning a gasp from the young Miss Granger while Harry just cocked an eyebrow, "It was being stored in Gringotts, but Albus Dumbledore managed to get permission from his good friend, the creator of the Stone, Nicholas Flamel, to hide it here at Hogwarts. It's on the third-floor in the corridor that's out of bounds to students and it's being protected by several tasks assigned by different teachers: Sprout, Flitwick, McGonagall, Quirrell, myself and, finally, Dumbledore. However, before you get to any of those challenges, you have to get past a giant three-headed dog that a friend of Hagrid's gave to him: aside from my own task and the dog, I don't know anything about the others' or else I'd tell you. I can try to find out for myself what they are, but I'll have to be careful: that's all I know, Harry; I promise."

"I believe you," Harry replied calmly, glancing once more to Hermione as he added, "It looks like we have a bit of research to do then: in the meantime," here, he turned back to Severus as he explained, "I want you to know that you have earned my trust, but I won't just come out and tell you my secrets. You'll know everything on the same day that Neville officially becomes your son and I become Sirius' son and heir: for now, I'd like you to try and learn what you can and let me know through any means you can think of. However," here, he leaned in close to Severus, the Head of Slytherin actually intimidated by the viper-like glare that filled his godson's eyes as Harry spoke in a hushed voice. "You have until Halloween's eve to find out as much as you can: he'll try something on Halloween and I _am_ going to stop him. But, Severus, if you tell _anyone_ about this, including my Father, then I will not hesitate to cut you loose…_quite literally:_ good luck."

With that, he rose from the desk and, leading the other three students out of the room, left Severus alone with his thoughts and a mission in mind;

However, as he began to think of ways to get the information out of the others, Severus had a shudder-moment as an icy finger trailed down his spine:

Like Death himself had just walked over his grave…

_**FourHorsemen**_

'_The Philosopher's Stone?_'

Harry nodded in response to Ragnarok's question as the four stallions stood before their Riders, each of the Horsemen gathered in the Forbidden Forest.

No-one knew that they were here thanks to the shadow-manipulative abilities and resources of the Riders: Harry was impressed when Neville revealed that his cloak actually allowed him to become invisible to all around them. Similarly, as long as she was wearing her War Amulet, Hermione could travel through darkness like a wraith in the night and, finally, Harry's scythe had incredible command over the darkness, summoning it to blanket its master like a similar cloak to Neville's. As for Luna, she huddled under the cloak with Neville, the full power of the cloak masking their steps and their breathing from the world around them.

Now, gathered before Ragnarok and the steeds, Harry and the Horsemen explained everything they'd learned, the Death Rider picking up the conversation as he explained, "Severus is going to investigate the other trials and I have decided that we'll deal with both the Stone and Voldemort on Samhain: he won't get away this time: I'll make _sure_ of it!"

Beneath his feet, the ground seemed to ice over as Harry's magic was fuelled by his rage, vengeance and his determination to see his task completed, all feats that were noticed by Ragnarok as he bowed his head in response to his Rider, '_I would agree that Samhain is a perfect time to harvest the soul that escaped you, Lord Death. The dark magicks surrounding that night will empower you beyond mortal means and allow you to work swiftly and decisively: will you require my assistance in this task?_'

"I doubt it," Harry admitted, running a finger along the blade of his scythe as he explained, "Ever since I received this thing, I've been learning about its magic and its power over the dark: with assistance from the others, I highly doubt that our mission will end in a failure. Once I've claimed Voldemort's soul _and_ the Stone, I'll summon you and we can escape without running into any sort of obstacles. However, we will need some sort of cover-up or an alibi for our disappearances: if the students of the school suspect that we've somehow bunked off for the night, it will only add to our problems."

"Well," Neville advised, now speaking his mind, "We will be our new selves by the time we're done for the night, so what if we have our Fathers say that we're spending Halloween together as a family and recovering from the aftermath of the rituals?"

"What about us?" asked Hermione, Harry now glancing over his shoulder to the Rider of War.

"You'll be with us," He admitted, agreeing with Neville's suggestion, "The four of us are as close-fit as a group that it won't be difficult for anyone to believe that we'll be celebrating with our families together as friends."

"Sounds like a plan," Luna agreed, sharing a glance with each of her fellow Horsemen, "The events of the night still linger on your mind and, when you add in how you despise the thought of what you lost, it will make it easier to escape the watchful eyes of the unworthy."

"Then we _definitely_ have a plan," Harry remarked, turning back to Ragnarok as he asked, "How about you? Any of you four willing to offer any advice about what we're going to face?"

'_Just this, Lord Death,_' Damien answered, stepping forwards and, placing the tip of his muzzle against Harry's chest, he told him, '_Trust not in your senses, but in the power that the Four of you were chosen to receive. Only with that can you come out on top over your enemies and the obstacles in your way._'

'_We'll be waiting for your summons in the meantime, Lord Death,_' Ragnarok agreed, before the four of them were swallowed up by the shadows, leaving the Four Horsemen to make their way back up to Hogwarts under the blissful and protective cover of darkness.

Each of them determined to see their task completed, but none more-so than the Rider of Death as he walked through the shadows with purpose;

'Let the games begin.'

_**FourHorsemen**_

Halloween:

A night that started it all and, to the Horsemen, it was eerily similar as it would start them down the path towards their apocalyptic destiny: once Voldemort was out of the way, the four of them would be able to enjoy student life and Harry, as leader and victim both in the case of the lecherous soul, would be able to breathe easier. On top of that, Halloween was also marked as the date that Harry and Neville officially said goodbye to their lives as ex-heirs of Potter and Longbottom and new heirs of Black and Snape.

In the spare lesson that Harry and Neville had in the afternoon, after both of them had suffered with Jason 'Jackass' Potter boasting about how his parents were spending the night with him and treating it like a combination of his birthday and Christmas together, the two Slytherins had officially had enough. With speed and expectant hopes in their chests, the duo met up after lunch outside Severus' chambers, Harry not all that surprised to find Hermione and Luna waiting for them.

Like they had done a few times beforehand, Harry knocked on the door, smirking to himself as he found Sirius' voice allowing them entrance; stepping inside, Harry let his guard drop for a moment as Sirius embraced him, a soft voice whispering in his ear, "Ready?"

"More than you'll ever know, Father," Harry answered, the mention of the word actually bringing tears to Sirius' eyes: Harry had called Sirius his Dad in conversation, but this was the first time that he'd actually confessed that he was ready to officially think of the man by that title.

Ruffling Harry's black hair, Sirius told him, "Now, when I perform the adoption process, you'll feel the Black Family Magic connect to your magical core and, likewise, there may be a bit of magical leakage from you to me, but don't worry. I won't let anything bad happen to you, Harry…or maybe I should start calling you by your real name…eh, Dante?"

"Dante?" chorused the others, the name holding a chord with Hermione as she had heard of a quote that matched the Rider of Death's new persona almost perfectly: _Abandon all hope__, ye who __enter here._

"What can I say?" asked Harry – or Dante as he will now be known – shrugging ruefully as he told them, "Dante Black just had that ring to it: by the way, Dad, I was wondering: do you want me to keep with tradition and choose an astronomy sign as my middle name?"

"If you want to," Sirius admitted, both proud and actually overjoyed at how easily his son was accepting his new life: then again, if what Severus said was true, Dante had plenty of help.

"Then I will," the Black Heir agreed, thinking for a moment before he smiled as he announced, "And I choose to take the name Scorpio: Dante Scorpio Black; now _that_ has a real Slytherin tang to it."

"I agree," Severus chuckled, before he glanced to Neville as he asked, "How about you, Neville? Did you go with a new name or do you choose to keep your old name?"

"I chose a new name as well, Father," Neville confessed, lifting his head as he added, "I chose the name Taren: it's an old name meaning thunder; I also chose to take the name of our Founder, Salazar Slytherin, as my middle name: what do you think?"

"Taren Salazar Snape," Severus remarked, testing the name on his tongue as he nodded in agreement, "I like it."

Neville, or Taren, actually let his cheeks flush red with the pride that he felt from the older man: ever since he'd been abandoned from the deceivers of his old family, he had wondered if he could feel pride or even an embarrassment at how his family would be proud of him ever again. Now he knew that such a thing was possible, Taren could only smile before he asked, "So, how does it work?"

"It's a bit similar to what your…what Frank and James _should _have done when they disowned you," Sirius explained, keeping his son calm as he unfurled two long parchments, the first holding a tapestry showing the Black Family Tree while the second showed the Prince – Severus' old family name – Family Tree. Holding a dagger in his hand, Sirius explained, "Severus and I both let our blood drop onto the spots beneath our names and decree that we accept you, Dante, and you, Taren, as our children. Once that's done, the family magic will take care of the rest: we'll also do this at the same time so that we can deal with any…surprises simultaneously: so, Dante, if you would?"

With a nod, the new Black Heir approached and, after watching Sirius shed his blood onto the parchment, he held out his hand, watching as his Father took his hand before he declared, "I am Sirius Orion Black, thrice-great-grandson of Salazar Slytherin; by the magic of the Black Family, I hereby claim, as my son, Dante Scorpio Black!"

As Dante's blood fell onto the parchment, he suddenly gasped as a strong icy wind blew through the room, striking both him and his new Father, his senses as the Horseman of Death rising up with strength and fury: something was coming into the ritual and something was also entering his Father's soul. A powerful, ancient something that would help him in the trials ahead; however, as he watched, he saw his Father smile before he nodded in encouragement.

Taking the sign, and bracing through the cold, Dante exclaimed, "I am Dante Scorpio Black, son of Sirius Orion Black!"

There was a bright flash of black magical light, the colour actually bringing a smile to Dante's face as he saw a new line and an image appear on the Black Family Tree: it was his face, though with a more noble profile to his appearance and there, written underneath were the words: _Dante Scorpio Black, birth date 31/7/1980._

At the same time that Dante's name appeared on his Family Tree, the Black Heir glanced across, a smile gracing his face as he saw Taren watching him, Severus actually feeling shocked while the two Horsemen felt a strong bond unite them in brotherhood, this one not as strong as the Riders' Bonds, but just as important. Similarly, on the Family Tree of the Prince/Snape line, Dante then noticed something else about Taren; his profile, which was as pale and slightly sallow as his Father, was outlined by a new line: _Taren Salazar Snape, birth date 31/7/1980._

"We were born on the same day?" asked Dante, earning a shrug from Taren, before he turned back as Sirius cleared his throat, "What's wrong, Father?"

"Dante," answered Sirius, his voice calm, but filled with a sense of sly amusement, "Would you care to explain why I feel a strong pull of dark soul-based magic and why I hear a voice in my head calling me a Lord of Nightmares?"

"Yeah," Dante sighed, glancing to Severus, who seemed to share the curiosity, "There _is_ something that I think you should know, Father; you too, Severus."

_**FourHorsemen**_

"What do you suppose it meant?"

"I don't know," answered Dante, moving through the shadows with his partners-in-darkness following close behind as they moved towards the third floor; sure enough, when Severus had reported that his four students would be having a private family-only celebration with him and Lord Black, the Potions Master had reported back with news that Quirrell was gone.

Taking off through the shadows, Dante Black, Hermione Granger, Taren Snape and Luna Lovegood all moved towards the third-floor, Dante actually anticipating the soul that he would soon consume and send to Hell, though Hermione's question had some importance. "Father said that he was called the Lord of Nightmares; while that's not one of us, it does hold a familiar ring to it: perhaps the voice, whoever or whatever it was, spoke about Azkaban."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Taren remarked, his voice slightly lower than it had been before; this was probably due to the family blood in his veins: similarly, Dante also had a hint of brown to his raven-black hair and his proud profile reminded him of Malfoy: pale and pointed in facial structure with a noble, elf-like definition to his smooth skin. Similarly, Taren also had silky soft hair that was just as close to greasy in appearance as his Father: a curse of the Prince males, Severus had told him. Keeping pace with his leader, Taren continued, "Azkaban's about as close to hell as it gets up here: so maybe your mantle as Death meant that Sirius somehow gained the right to become Lord Azkaban."

"Maybe," Dante agreed, "We'll figure it out later; hold on…" he suddenly stopped, turning his head into a door that was ajar to their left, a soft harp-like sound coming from inside. Just as Severus had said, the harp was lying next to a giant three-headed dog, one of its large paws next to an open shaft that led down into the underbelly of the corridor.

Down to the Philosopher's Stone;

"Come on," Dante whispered, "We don't have much time."

**Chapter 5 and I finished it here because the next chapter is based around the confrontation and the ways that the Riders' powers help Harry-now Dante reach Voldemort, but what surprises await them?**

**Also, what does Sirius' little addition to the power mean and how will it help the Horsemen?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Dante decides to kill two birds with one stone as he exacts his revenge on two parties; and, in the aftermath of Halloween, Dante gains a mysterious new ally and learns a secret about him and the Horsemen;**

**Please Read and Review**

**AN: I don't actually know where the idea for Neville's new name came from, but I would like to thank Herald-MageAnduli for the process of the adoption ritual; it was originally used in her story **_**Midnight Sun**_**; an amazing read.**


	6. Dance with the Devil

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**DarkHeart81: Most stories I've read state that it was '79 that he was born in, but I've gone back and changed it; thanks for pointing that out: I don't usually go by actual years anyway; normally, I just write the story;**

**StormyFireDragon: Oh I have a few things up my sleeve, Storm: some impressive powers and scenes coming up, I can promise you that;**

**TsukiyoTenshi: Well the idea was that, through Death, Sirius gained the power, so, in response to your question, it's just that:**

**Maraudergirl15: I don't know where Neville's new name came from, but I had 'Dante' in mind for Harry since I first wrote this story;**

"_Come on," Dante whispered, "We don't have much time."_

Chapter 6: Dance with the Devil

Moving into the room that led down to the third-floor corridor and the Philosopher's Stone, Dante glanced once to the Cerberus that was supposed to be guarding the corridor and he couldn't help but laugh at the thought of someone using music to tame such a savage beast. The Cerberus, the Dog of Death as it was known in certain circles, was sleeping like a puppy, one of its paws moving in a cute impression of the beast being locked in a dream. If it wasn't for his dark determination rearing its head and reminding him of why the Four were here, Dante would have actually considered figuring out a way to use the colossal canine for his own purposes.

For now, though, he simply stepped over the large paw near the open shaft and, peering down, he asked, "What did Severus say was first down there?"

"Devil's Snare," Taren answered, already drawing his wand, "It hates sunlight and, because of that, has a lower resistance to fire than most vegetation: if we're going down there, don't struggle: it's like quicksand – the harder you struggle, the tighter it holds you."

"Then we're not going down there…yet," Dante answered, looking to Luna as he asked, "You want to do the honours or will I?"

Pointing the Elder Wand down into the room, Luna took a deep breath and, with her blue eyes glowing madly, she commanded, "_Fiendfyre!_"

A torrential burst of blood-red fire left the Horseman of Famine's wand and, as it descended down into the tunnel, Dante smiled to himself as he saw the flames take the shape of a long and dangerous-looking tiger that ripped and clawed its way through the vegetation, the tendrils and the base of the Devil's Snare falling to the ground where they vanished in wisps of ash.

"Against the full power of the Horsemen," Dante growled, leaping down into the tunnel and landing with an acrobat's precision and balance, "There is no equal: now, if I remember correctly, he said that a door charmed with flying keys was next, yes?"

"Yes," Hermione answered, following her companions through the door, Taren hanging back for a moment to seal the passageway with a quick levitation spell on the open hatch. Now, if anyone checked on the big puppy sleeping upstairs, they'd find nothing out of the ordinary save for the harp, but that wasn't going to be enough to deal with the Horsemen and link the Stone's disappearance to them.

"So how do we get past this one?" asked Taren, catching up with the other Horsemen as they looked upwards; sure enough, there were over a hundred flying keys circling the air above them. Glancing to the door on the other side of the room, Taren added, "I highly doubt that Professor Flitwick will have made it as easy as using an Alohomora Charm on the door."

"Maybe," Dante agreed, before he pointed off to the side of the room where several brooms were situated, "But is it just my imagination or does the fact that there are actually brooms in this room look suspicious?"

The others had to agree with their leader: it was almost like someone _wanted_ the Stone to be put in harm's way: like making the first tasks easy to get past only to fall at the last hurdle. Sharing a glance with one another, it was Hermione that asked it, "All right, so do we take the bait or do we find our own way around?"

"Well, I hate to build up an ego," Luna told them, before she pointed to Dante, "But you're the best flyer around here, Dante: if anyone should figure this one out, it's you."

"Luna's right," Taren agreed, patting his honorary brother on the shoulder, "Go for it, Dante: we'll keep any surprises off your back."

"Thanks guys," Dante sighed, moving over towards the brooms as he asked, "All right, so what should I be looking for?"

Moving to the door, Hermione took a closer look at the lock before she glanced upwards, her eyes scanning the keys; finally, she pointed to the higher points in the room as she explained, "There: it's a big key with a bit of a limp to its flying pattern; that's the one: my guess would be that Quirrell has already passed this and he may have actually summoned the key rather than fly."

"What?" asked Dante, drawing his own wand as he asked, "You mean…like this? _Accio door-key!_"

The wonky-winged key flew from the top point and landed in Dante's hand, the Death Rider smirking as he approached the stunned trio, his face set in a smile of determination as he asked, "What? Don't tell me that you only managed the spells of a first-year? By Lucifer, guys; what sort of Horsemen are you?"

The others just looked somewhere between guilty and humbled by their leader's words as Dante pushed the key into the lock and, turning it, opened the door, leading the other Horsemen into the next chamber: McGonagall's challenge. Just like Severus had said, the challenge was a giant chess set and, on their side, the Horsemen noticed three spots that were without pieces, though the black pieces were clearly in place for a new game.

'And again,' thought Dante, stopping at the edge of the board, 'We have a strange case of coincidence: if I didn't know better, I'd say that it was my ex-Jackass brother and his cohorts that were meant to make it this far. Ah well, such a shame that Dumbledork chose the wrong brother as his poster boy: now I'll make him eat his words.'

"All right," Taren sighed, "Who knows chess best out of the four of us?"

"We don't need that," Dante explained, before he glanced to Hermione as he asked, "Am I right, War?"

"Dante!" gasped Hermione, as though she understood where he was going with this, "I know that's one of my abilities, but this is a magical trap and set by the highest-classed mentor in Hogwarts: I…I don't know if I can…"

"Remember what Damien said," Luna advised Hermione, Dante now folding his arms, a smug smile on his face as he watched the two girls, "We should trust in the power we've gained as the Four. I used my power…or rather my gift to deal with Devil's Snare; Dante used his knowledge in the Charms room; well, now it's your turn, Hermione. You have the power; all you have to do is wield it."

"Pardon me for sounding like a real rookie here," Taren piped up, looking to his three companions as he asked, "But what are you three trying to say?"

"War," Dante explained, indicating Hermione, "Also known as Hermione Granger in this reincarnation, has the power to influence the emotional wars and shatter-points of a being's psyche: it doesn't matter if the being in question is human or not; if it has life and essence inside it, she can manipulate it to her will. However," here, he looked over to Hermione, the War Rider wondering how Death knew this about her, "If you don't feel that you can do it, then we'll need three volunteers to take the place of the chess pieces and I don't really feel like playing a game of Sacrifice with any of you."

Glancing to Hermione, Taren seemed to be surprised at the power of the Fourth Rider, but, as he looked back to Dante, he knew that he shouldn't actually be so surprised. They each had their own gifts and abilities that would grow with time, but, to test Hermione on such an early stage of their power: was Dante actually _that_ confident that she had the power to do this?

"Again," Dante reminded Hermione as he noticed the looks that his information was getting from the other Horsemen, "You can say no, Hermione, but by the time we win the battle, we could be too late to stop Quirrell and you more than anyone know that I will _not_ allow Voldemort to return!"

As was the norm with Dante's anger, the ground beneath his feet began to ice over as he showed his determination, his eyes almost glowing with cold emerald-infused power that seemed to actually unnerve the other three Horsemen. Their leader was determined to stop Voldemort, this they knew, but from how he was talking and forcing their hands with the power within them, it was like he wouldn't accept failure as an option tonight: this just proved what Ragnarok had said about Samhain was true: it had enhanced Death's magical prowess to a point where he didn't really care about the result, so long as he was victorious.

Seeing the magic and the look in Death's eyes, Hermione heaved an almost defeated sigh as she nodded her head, "All right, Dante: I'll do it, but I can't be distracted: can the rest of you stand back?"

Gathering near a pile of broken chess pieces, Dante, Taren and Luna watched as Hermione closed her eyes, her hands now wrapped around the War Amulet around her neck, her body appearing to glow with a blood-red light as her magic seemed to awaken. Beneath her feet, Dante noticed with a calm expression on his face that a seal was being burned into the ground, a collection of symbols similar to the seals on the Horsemen's bodies appearing around the seal. When she opened her eyes again, Hermione revealed a pair of blood-red eyes that burned with dark, but ethereal, inhuman levels of magic; releasing her hands from the Amulet, Hermione pointed to the black pieces nearby, her words speaking like she was caught in a trance as she exclaimed, "This is an order: strike at your enemies and leave nothing but dust!"

The black pieces actually seemed to try and struggle against the power that flooded their animated bodies, but, as Hermione's magic burned with the seal at her feet and the blood-red colour of her eyes, their struggles passed and their weapons were lifted by supernatural willpower.

Glancing away from the chess board, Dante actually felt a small modicum of worry as he saw sweat forming on Hermione's brow, her will and her strength to continue being the only things keeping her going. Deep inside his conscience, Dante knew that he had actually asked a little too much of the War Horseman, but this was necessary: he would not allow Voldemort to escape so that his ex-brother could claim the credit; besides, with this test, it proved that the four of them were worthy of their powers.

A loud crashing filled the chess chamber as the black pieces literally went to war with the white pieces, the enhanced rage, war-possessed emotions and bloodlust filling the animated pieces as they hacked and slashed their way through the white pieces' defences. This was no game of chess being played: it was a full-scale battle with no real rules or boundaries and, as the black king slashed through the head of the white king, Dante smiled before he told Hermione, "Let it go: it's over."

Once more, Hermione wrapped her hands around the War Amulet, Dante feeling a sense of pride at the accomplishment of the War Rider; when the seal at her feet burned into nothingness and her eyes returned to normal, Hermione sagged to the floor, her face caked in sweat and her breath coming out in short, quick gasps as she doubled over, winded from exertion.

Moving to their sister-in-arms, the other Horsemen helped her settle down before Dante looked up at Luna, his eyes filled with strength as he explained, "Taren and I will keep going: you and Hermione stay here; once you're strong enough, summon Damien and Delilah and leave here for the Forest or somewhere that you can get back to the dorms."

"Be careful, you two," Luna told them, before she winked at Dante as she added, "When fire surrounds you on all sides, your scythe is your best bet and when you meet with him, you must not let him get to you."

"Trust me," Dante growled, standing tall and proud, his magic actually empowering his will as he told her, "I won't."

_**FourHorsemen**_

Once they had left the other two and passed through the door to the fourth room, Dante glanced at Taren before he remarked, "Go ahead, you can say it."

"All right, then, I will," Taren replied, stopping in the passageway before he shook his head and, turning to Dante, he told him, "That was stupid, reckless and dangerous and you, Dante, knew it: Hermione may have power; we may have power, but we're not at full Horseman level yet. We're still learning to command our powers and you're having us attack full-scale armies and do things that even at this stage, we shouldn't even attempt. Clearly, you haven't been told that if we over-exert our powers, we'll burn out our souls and we fail in whatever destiny we've been given these powers to accomplish."

"I know," Dante explained, resuming his walk through the corridor towards the next challenge, "But I had to be sure that even the girls could command their levels of power; that was why I had Luna starve Devil's Snare of its energy as well as burn it with the Cursed Flame. Where Voldemort is concerned, I won't let anything stop me and I hope you can understand that, Taren: if he gets in my way and is the obstacle that I have to defeat, then _nothing_, not even the cost of my own soul will stop me."

"I understand," Taren agreed, before he suddenly gagged as he lifted his sleeve to his face, his eyes squinting through the tunnel as he asked, "Ugh; can you…can you smell that?"

"Smelled it the moment we stepped through the door," Dante explained, before he smirked as he told Taren, "Guess this one's yours: now, according to Severus' information, Quirrell's challenge is next and, knowing him, it's something big and bad…which, from the smell, can only mean one creature: troll."

"And how do we take on that thing?" asked Taren as they reached the door to the fourth challenge; pushing it open, Dante smirked as he found that he was right. Standing with its back to them was a fully-grown mountain troll, its girth and height suggesting maybe ten or fifteen feet of rotted-carcass smelling muscle and power.

"_We_ don't," Dante answered him in a hushed voice, before he pointed to Taren, "You do: you have everything you need at your disposal: surely there's a sickness that you can take advantage of in the case of this…thing?"

"I haven't really practiced using the power," Taren admitted, before he brought a smile to Dante's face as he revealed his Cloak, "But there is something I can try: a disease that should be enough to weaken the beast and then, with the right spell, you can finish it off."

"How will I know?" asked Dante, watching as Taren vanished under the Cloak, a strange cloying sensation suddenly filling the air as the Death Rider picked up the sensation of the power of the Pestilence/Conquest Rider.

"Trust me," Taren replied, his voice suddenly oily and making Dante think of places best left unexplored, "You'll know."

For a few moments, Dante didn't hear anything but the soft grunting of the troll as well as his own breath coming out in near-silent gasps: he couldn't hear Taren's footsteps and even his Soul Perception ability couldn't locate his fellow Horseman. Then, just as Dante was considering taking on the troll himself and leaving Taren to play hide-and-seek with someone else, he heard a loud grunting roar from the troll and, poking his head once more into the room, Dante actually gasped at what he saw.

The great beast was down on its knees, a pool of black and grey vomit pouring from its mouth, its back, arms, legs and even the small area that occupied its pea-sized brain now covered in thick yellow buboes that were a deep inflamed yellow colour, one of the troll's arms trying to reach down to the loin-skin that covered its nether regions. As it gave a roar, the troll then grasped at its throat, its air cut off with signs of asphyxiation and loss of breath; from where he was standing, Dante had to laugh: he _knew_ these symptoms from his time in Muggle education back at the orphanage.

One of the worst and almost incurable diseases of medieval times;

Taren, unless he was very much mistaken, had infected the troll with a _serious_ case of 'The Great Pestilence' that was more commonly known as a name tied to the Death Rider;

The Black Death!

"Clever," whispered Dante, though he had to try hard not to lose his lunch as the troll vomited its blood and gore onto the floor, "He should be dead before long…but I'm not a patient man."

Lifting his wand, Dante aimed for the worst of the buboes on the creature's back, around the point where its heart was located, before he smiled coldly and whispered, "Taren, if you can hear me, you'll need a shield charm: _Sectumsempra!_"

The Slashing Curse, taught to Dante by Severus in the days running up to this encounter, slashed straight through the pustules, releasing an explosion of pus and blood that covered the entire chamber, Dante quickly closing the door as the troll's final roar was heard before it dropped to the floor with a thud. Peering through the door, Dante covered his nose with his sleeve, not really a fan for the scent of rotted troll carcass, before he heard an angry voice exclaim, "Next time: warn me!"

Glancing to the point where the door to the penultimate challenge was located, Dante gave a hearty laugh as he saw Taren covered head-to-foot in blood and gore, the Pestilence Rider shaking it out of his hair and brushing the mulch off his robes. Still laughing, Dante told him, "I did say to throw up a shield charm: no worries, here: _Aguamenti; Odria Ventus!_"

A jet of ice-cold water flew from Dante's wand, splashing Taren and cleaning off the remaining gunk before his wand also released a cloud of fresh-smelling mist that covered Taren's body, though Dante still had his smile on his face as he told Taren, "There, now you're all squeaky-clean: so, shall we move on?"

"You have to go on alone," Taren informed Dante, before he gave his leader a sickening image as he pulled a shard of troll flesh out of his mouth, throwing it to the floor, he continued, "Voldemort's yours, Dante: I'll summon Alucard and go and meet with the girls; you just make sure that you come back."

"I will," Dante remarked, sharing a firm brotherly handshake with his brother-in-arms as he told him, "See you in a while, huh?"

Taren just laughed as Dante stepped past him, the Death Rider disappearing through the penultimate door, leaving Taren to shake his head as he muttered, "One day, Dante, I'll get you back for that."

_**FourHorsemen**_

The final challenge;

Severus' challenge;

And, as Dante had half-expected, it was centred around Potions: as soon as he entered the final chamber, the door behind him slammed shut and, on either side of him, including the door that led to Voldemort and the Stone, two huge walls of fire rose up, illuminating a table and a shelf where a selection of bottles were stacked.

Approaching the table, Dante glanced down and almost laughed when he saw that the table held a parchment upon which was written what sounded like a riddle:

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

'Clever Severus,' Dante thought, his eyes reading the text through several times before he straightened up and, turning not to the shelf, but to the flames, he remembered what Luna had said about his scythe. 'But whoever comes here doesn't have the advantages that I do.'

Drawing his scythe, Dante eyed his dark weapon before he heaved a deep sigh as he asked, "Okay, so how are you supposed to help me pass these flames?"

The words had barely left his lips before the blade of the scythe began to glow with a deep grey light, the same light now leaving the tip of the blade where it met the flames that led Harry towards the Stone. When the light touched the flames, the Death Rider watched with awe as the scythe almost seemed to draw the flames into the blade, the fiery barricade being devoured by the power of the First Rider.

"That's interesting," Dante whispered, watching with awe as the last of the flames were swallowed up by the scythe, leaving the door through to the final challenge and Voldemort. Placing the scythe over his back, Dante stepped through the door and, descending into a well-lit chamber, put his bravest and most determined expression on his face as he saw Quirrell standing in front of him, the Defence Professor's eyes looking into what appeared to be a golden-framed mirror.

"Good evening, Mr Potter," Quirrell remarked, his voice cutting through Dante before he smirked as he added, "Of course that's not who you are any more, is it?"

"I was _never_ that freak that they abandoned," Dante snarled, keeping his hand within reaching distance of his scythe: he _would_ feed on Voldemort's soul and here, with just the two – or three, counting Quirrell – of them, there was _nothing_ stopping him. "I am Dante Scorpio Black and you can drop the act, Quirrell: I want to speak to the engineer, not the oily rag!"

"Ah," Quirrell chuckled, "So you know my little secret, do you? And here I was thinking that you would play the big hero with my little distraction on the school; ah well, I guess that Jason Potter will get the credit again, won't he?"

"Don't you _dare_ say his name," Dante growled, the ice now forming around the room as well as at the feet of the Death Rider, "You have no idea who you're dealing with here, Quirrell…or should I say…VOLDEMORT!"

Quirrell gave a cold laugh as he turned to Dante, his eyes taking in the effect of the Horseman's icy magic reacting to his anger, "My, my, my: such power in you, little Black-ling; but why fight for a family that has a Lord who betrays their Creed? Better to side with true power…and live _forever!_"

"I'd sooner kill you," Dante insisted, now eyeing the mirror as he added, "And, as added payment for ridding the world of you once again, Voldemort, I'll take the Philosopher's Stone!"

"But we need not be enemies, Dante Black," Quirrell answered, his voice now holding a sibilant hiss to his tone as he looked to the Horseman, "The ones that call you friend and family; they do not deserve your loyalty: they would treat you like a slave!"

"That's not true," Dante growled, keeping his hand close to the handle of his scythe: Voldemort was trying to play mind games with him and it wouldn't work.

"No?" asked Quirrell-mort, "Look at the evidence, Dante: your birth family; they cast you aside without a moment's thought."

"That doesn't matter," Dante insisted, his ice now turning black and dangerously cold in the room as he felt his anger spiking: Voldemort wasn't upsetting him: he was _pissing him off._

"But it must hurt…so much," Quirrell-mort told him, a cold smile crossing his face, "To be so…put upon, so…overlooked when all the while you have such power!"

"That's the way it has to be," Dante remarked, a part of him hating how he was confessing his weakness.

"Does it?" asked Quirrell-mort, the sibilant hiss to his voice now holding a true sense of evil to it, "You're young, Dante: look inside yourself; you have yet to discover your true power…I can help you."

Dante wasn't fooled: Voldemort knew nothing about the power of the Horsemen; he wouldn't be convinced of joining him no matter what he said; however, since he was meant to play the part of the determined student, he let the man monologue a little more. "Think Dante: to have the world appreciate your greatness; to have your family, your foolish Muggle-loving Father know you for who you are."

"That can never be," Dante whispered, though he knew inside himself that it could be; it _would_ be: he would make it that way.

"It can…if you join me!"

'And there it is,' thought Dante, feigning surprise as he listened to Voldemort, 'He actually thinks he's winning: all he's really doing is giving me time to gather my power. Sorry, Voldemort, but your soul _is mine!_'

"Together," Voldemort continued, "We can rule over this world: Muggles and wizards alike would tremble at your voice; James _and_ Jason Potter would kneel at your feet. Dante, I know what it feels like having questions unanswered: join me, Dante and I will help you answer them all!"

'All right,' Dante thought, now gripping the hilt of his scythe, his eyes burning with dark power, 'Playtime's over.'

Meeting Voldemort's red eyes, Dante told him, "I don't want that."

"You'd rather be a servant?" asked Voldemort, his full visage now showing itself on Quirrell's face, "An outcast?"

"Better an outcast than a weapon or a slave!" snarled Dante, applauding himself for his acting; the ploy also worked to trap Voldemort as the so-called Dark Lord recoiled from the response.

"So be it!" hissed Voldemort, "If you will not join me then I shall become you and your powers, as impressive as they are, shall become mine!"

Quirrell's body seemed to tremble as a black mist trailed out of the body and took the shape of a large cloud, the image of Voldemort's face charging towards Dante. However, this was exactly what the Horseman of Death had been waiting for; brandishing his scythe, he exclaimed, "I don't think so, Voldemort: say goodbye…and this time…_MEAN IT!_"

With fire and ferocity burning in his soul, Dante lashed out with the scythe, the blade slicing through the dark cloud, a high-pitched, eternally-pained scream coming from both Quirrell _and_ Voldemort as the scythe reacted once more to the foreign power, the blade now glowing and feeding its energy into the severed soul where, in a burst of grey magic, the soul travelled down the scythe.

Watching with a predatory hunger in his green eyes, Dante felt the energy travel down the hilt until it lifted from the base of the hilt as nothing more than a small grey orb that, when Dante opened his mouth, he swallowed with an almost dramatically-effective gulp, his body shuddering at the taste of his true strength finally being released.

Lowering the scythe, Dante let a smile cross his face as he whispered, "I…I did it…I actually…devoured…a soul: he's actually gone; now, what to do with you?"

He said this last part as he approached the Mirror of Erised, his attention so focused on the mirror that he didn't notice the remnants of Quirrell's body smoking away to nothingness, a single tendril of blackness snaking away from the body and out of Hogwarts.

_**FourHorsemen**_

"Are you sure that you're okay?"

"Dad, I'm fine," Dante answered as Sirius checked him over for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, "I just let my power out in a big way and, as compensation, I gained this," he held up a blood-red stone as he said this, his face showing a victorious smile as he told the assembled group, "Voldemort danced with the devil and the devil dominated him."

"And you're sure he's gone?" asked Severus, slightly surprised from the descriptions given by the Four; not only about the way that their powers had worked through the corridor, but also the devouring of the Dark Lord's soul by the Horseman of Death.

"He's gone, Severus," Dante answered, patting his stomach as he explained, "All that's left is what's now providing my body with energy and dark nourishment; and I'll tell you, if that's what it feels like to swallow a soul, then, like Oliver Twist, I say: please sir, can I have some more?"

Taren, Luna and Hermione all laughed at their leader's sense of humour, the reference as clear as day to all of them as they shared in the final moments of a Halloween that would certainly be memorable for the right reasons by the Black Prince.

_**FourHorsemen**_

News of Professor Quirrell's disappearance was spread through the school within a week and, in place of Quirrell, Dumbledore informed the school that the Ministry and the Board had agreed to send a replacement that would be their teacher until further notice. Dante and the Slytherins didn't meet or have this new mentor until the second week following Halloween. As they entered the classroom, Dante actually felt a little unnerved as he saw the place was contained in darkness save for the flames that burned in the middle of each of the tables and around the room, providing an eerie glow to the classroom that unnerved some of the others.

To the Horsemen on the other hand, it was like they were coming home; taking their seats at the table, the class waited, Dante noticing that his ex-brother actually seemed frightened by the way that the class was set, which was good in his opinion. Jackass had always held a fear of the darkness because of his apparent _death-defying_ encounter with Voldemort. But, for Dante, the darkness was his ally and his home: it held no fear and no surprises for him.

Or so he believed…

"Good afternoon, first-years," a calm, British-accented voice spoke from the shadows, before a bright firelight filled the room and, at the top of the stairs that led to the teacher's office, the students got their first sight of their new tutor.

He was dressed in black leathery attire that had several silver clasps covering his front and on his shoulders, though Dante wouldn't recognise those until much later as the new teacher also wore a blood-red two-tailed overcoat with sharp shoulder-coverings and an upturned collar, the hem of his coat seemingly billowing out when he walked, giving the image of demon wings.

He had silver-coloured hair that not only seemed to look white in the right sort of light, but hung over his fringe in a slight parting, almost like the wings of an angel that had been folded; he had sharp blue eyes that looked like some sort of holy light shone within his gaze, though Dante did notice that some of the female members would later comment on those eyes.

As he stopped at the foot of the steps, the man turned his eyes on each of the students as he explained, "Before we get started, I feel I should apologise for the lack of light around here, but the typical signs and symbols of teachers around here distract you, my students, from your tasks. Unless we are in practical sessions, you will learn by the aid of the luminous flames that are on each of your tables; now, allow me to introduce myself. I am Professor Hunter Redgrave and, for the foreseeable future, I am your Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor."

Moving from the base of the steps towards the class, Professor Redgrave continued with his talk, "Now, you are here to learn how to defend yourself from all who would endanger and oppose your chosen paths: however, _I_ am here to teach you those defensive skills and heighten your knowledge of those situations. I run a tight ship and expect nothing but success from each of my students; where you are sat now will be your partners for the rest of this year and, in the event I return next year, you will start on what I like to call Operational Assignments, which decide whether or not _you_ return next year to my class."

'He's good,' thought Dante, watching as Professor Redgrave moved amongst the students; however, when he stopped next to Dante and Hermione's desk, the man handed Dante a slip of parchment before he turned and, unseen by the students, he gave the Black Prince a wink of assurance of some sort.

When he left, Dante carefully opened the parchment and, when he saw the writing, he didn't know what to feel more: confusion or suspicion?

_Do not worry yourself about how I know you; just know that I am your friend, your ally and your servant as long as there is life in me;_

_It is my honour to serve you and your brethren once more, Master._

'What?' wondered Dante, folding the parchment back into his robe as he observed their new Professor, 'Who is he?'

**Chapter 6 and Voldemort is gone…apparently and Dante seems to have acquired a new ally, but who is Hunter Redgrave and how does he know about the Four?**

**Also, with one obstacle removed, what will this do to a certain headmaster's wishes for the Wrong BWL and what repercussions has Dante's adoption had on the family?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Dante meets with Redgrave and gets some answers; plus, there's some major backlash when Severus confronts an old friend and Sirius and Dante try to figure out what happened when the Black Lord adopted the Black Prince;**

**Please Read and Review**

**AN: Looking at the name and description, it should be obvious who I based Professor Redgrave on, but, if anyone does figure it out, I'll dedicate my next chapter to them;**

**OC SPELL:**

_**Odria Ventus:**_** Fresh-Air Charm: Fires a cloud of freshly-scented mist to cleanse the air and anything in firing range of unwelcome scents;**


	7. Backlash

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry – Dante/Hermione

Neville – Taren/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Aflibble: Really? Personally, I don't see it: I just see a warrior that isn't afraid of failure; instead, he'll do whatever it takes to see things done;**

**The sonic devil: And you're right: it was just too good an opportunity to miss, especially with everyone guessing that's where Dante's name came from;**

**ArchAngelGundam: Where did that guess come from? Sadly, you're wrong;**

**KVL: Yep;**

**Tschonni: No; sorry;**

**CloudBloodbane: You'd be right and, as for the name, I just threw it together: Hunter Redgrave had a bit more flair to it;**

**StormyFireDragon: All shall become clear soon, Storm: for now, it's the calm before…well, before the Storm;**

**Vash Maverick 88: No, but good reasons for why you thought that: it should be a bit obvious, but I'll see;**

**Imiko-hiei: It's not Victor, but that IS a good guess as I would love to try and write a character like him; as for Alucard, it came from the anime Hellsing;**

_**AND: As promised, this chapter is dedicated to **_**the sonic devil, KVL, CloudBloodbane**_** and anyone else that saw that Prof Hunter Redgrave is based off…DANTE FROM DEVIL MAY CRY! Congrats if you got it; commiserations if you didn't: and now, on with the story…**_

_Do not worry yourself about how I know you; just know that I am your friend, your ally and your servant as long as there is life in me;_

_It is my honour to serve you and your brethren once more, Master._

'_What?' wondered Dante, folding the parchment back into his robe as he observed their new Professor, 'Who is he?'_

Chapter 7: Backlash

"Your homework for the week is a recap essay on the first three chapters of your Defensive Texts: see you Monday."

The class departed with the last word from Professor Redgrave, but Dante didn't move: instead, he beckoned to the others to join him and then, once the last of the students had left, Dante led the Horsemen to the office of their new teacher, a part of the First Rider aware of the door locking behind them as they approached Professor Redgrave's office. Who was he?

How did he know about the Horsemen?

What did he mean by him being a friend of the Horsemen?

These were all questions that ran through Dante's mind as he knocked on the door, the firm British voice answering him, "Come in."

Stepping into the office, Dante was only half-surprised to find the office lit in the same way as the classroom, though there was also a makeshift bunk set up on the right-hand side, a mannequin that now held the coat worn by the professor as well as what looked like a Japanese katana blade resting next to it, a set of strange runes along the scabbard of the katana. The desk of Professor Redgrave was pretty simple concerning it belonged to someone that clearly knew what he was talking about; it held a journal, a glass that was half-filled with what Dante smelled as apple juice and a single black swan-feather quill.

Professor Redgrave himself was currently hunched over a trunk, packing away spare copies of _Defensive Works Levels 1-3 by S. Corpus_ – the text that they were meant to read and recap for homework – before he stood straight and, without turning, he flicked his wand, sealing the Horsemen in his office. Lowering his wand onto the table, the mysterious man then turned before he locked eyes with the Black Prince and, before either of them could speak, Professor Redgrave dropped down onto one knee, his head bowed before Dante and the Horsemen.

"Master," he spoke with the air of a submissive servant, albeit one with some serious firepower, "I knew you would come here: tell me, how may I serve the First Rider?"

"Straight to the point then," Dante replied, hiding his shock at the man's submission behind the mask he'd so longingly forged since he'd been abandoned by his family…and indeed before that. "How do you know us and what are you doing calling me Master?"

"I am but one, Master," Hunter answered, his voice calm as he kept his head bowed, though when Dante told him to get up, he did. "One of many whom serve the legacy and loyalties of the Horsemen: we are your servants, slaves and soldiers; ready, willing and able to die for the chance to see Armageddon come to this world."

"So you're heretics?" asked Hermione, Dante now glancing to her as she explained, "They've differed themselves from the beliefs of the Church, which the foretelling of the Apocalypse, or the Armageddon, would certainly fall under."

"Is she right?" asked Dante, turning his attention back to Hunter.

"She is," Hunter answered, "I was sent here by the Powers to watch over you, Master, and guide you to your true powers: I shall not endanger your secrets or your lives. Should you think me about to betray you, then my soul is yours to devour, Master: I live to serve the Four and do as they command, though the Powers that chose you also choose me."

"And let me guess," Dante sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before he spoke, "You're not allowed to tell us anything about the so-called Powers, right?"

"That is correct," Hunter answered, now daring to meet the cold green eyes of Death as he added, "I am forbidden from speaking of they who chose us and made us what we are, but I am not forbidden from doing as you command, Master. I shall protect you and ensure that your enemies know nought of your secrets or your actions: I shall be your alibi and your voice when you cannot speak; your pawn when you cannot move and your blood and body when you cannot act: my wand, my sword, my soul and my services, I pledge to you, my Lord Death, my Master."

"He seems sincere," Luna remarked, actually speaking without her dreamy, musical tone as she looked to Dante, "And he said that if you betray him, then he is little more than a snack to you, Dante. Let's give him the chance: at least until we're sure of where we go from here."

"I agree," Dante agreed, his eyes never leaving Hunter's sharp blue eyes as he told him, "All right: I suppose that if you are truly loyal to my cause, then I have uses for you, Hunter Redgrave: the key problem I have to deal with is already taken care of, so, until this year is through, you just have to ensure that I am unobstructed in the ways of magic and that my former family do not find the chance to get to me. Furthermore, there will be times where my disappearance may be required: vouch for me, protect me as you say you shall and you will be rewarded: fail and I'll eat your soul slowly and painfully so that you feel every second of my namesake coming to claim you, do you hear me?"

"I hear and obey, Master," Hunter replied, before he seemed to shift back into his Professor's persona as he unlocked the door and, with a nod, he added, "Good afternoon, Mr Black."

"Good afternoon, Professor Redgrave," Dante replied, turning on his heel and leaving the office, the Horsemen following in his stride.

_**FourHorsemen**_

Hunter Redgrave was as good as his word;

His lessons were nothing if not interesting: they seemed to differ between theoretical studies and practical application; he even allowed the students a chance for some private time in studying and, through these lessons and his own private tutelages, Dante's powers began to grow. As the Christmas period approached, Dante was looking forwards to a holiday with friends and family, though the only friends that he was looking forwards to spending time with were the other Horsemen.

As for the family members, Dante didn't know that, one weekend before Christmas, his Head of House and Taren's Father, Severus Snape, left the grounds and made his way to Godric's Hollow where the home of Lily and James Potter was located. With Jason at Hogwarts and James at the Ministry, Severus knew that this was the right time to confront an old friend on the matter that he'd wanted to deal with ever since the first day he'd seen the new Black Prince in that orphanage.

Striding up the pathway, Severus knocked on the door, a smirk crossing his face when he saw Lily moving from behind the door before she opened it: she actually seemed frightened to see him and, given why he was here, she had good reason to be. Entering the house, Severus moved to the lounge where he was sickened to his stomach when he noticed a full-length portrait of the oh-so-noble Father and Son of the Potter Family hanging over the fireplace, Lily now seated in a simple-looking chair near the flickering fireplace.

"It's been a while, Lils," Severus remarked, his voice calm, though he paid no heed when she flinched at the mention of the little nickname he'd had for her back when he could actually stand to be seen in this house. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"

"Y-Yes," Lily answered, Severus then taking notice of how frail she looked: her skin, which once held a flushed, but attractive pale glow to it, now seemed to have lost that glow and was instead replaced by a pockmarked, weary-skinned face with a rather gaunt expression and, instead of bright green eyes, there were eyes that made Severus think of swamp scum instead of bright and beautiful emeralds. Even her voice, which Severus had once told her, was like the song of a nightingale, was now hard and fearful, "H-H-…H…Dante, isn't…isn't that his name now?"

"That's right," Severus answered, his posture unchanged despite the temptation that he felt deep inside him to try and comfort his old friend: it was her that had chosen him to be Dante's godfather and trusted him with Dante's life while James was adamant on trusting Sirius, Lupin or, Merlin forbid, Dumbledore with Jackass Jason's life.

'I owe Dante five points for coming up with that,' Severus chuckled, unaware that back at Hogwarts, five emeralds fell into Slytherin's points counter as he addressed Lily, "His name is Dante Scorpio Black and he's currently the ranked number one student in my House: his Father's certainly proud of his achievements…and his friendships: Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger, a Muggleborn, but a bright girl nonetheless and finally, Taren Snape, my son."

"Formerly Neville Longbottom," Lily whispered, her voice like a church mouse's squeak as she looked to something that was in her hands; glancing to her hands, Severus actually held a look of shock when he saw that it was a picture that had several frayed edges. In the picture was a young and healthy Harry James Potter in the arms of his Mother at a nearby beachside resort. The little boy had to be no older than four, maybe five years old, but he was happier than Severus had ever remembered seeing Dante nowadays. Before he could make any sort of retort, Lily's dead-eyed gaze met his as she asked, "Is…is he safe, Knight? Is…is he a strong one?"

Knight; the name she'd given Severus when she'd needed an escape from her filth of a sister and her parents: it actually seemed to make a chip in Severus' hard-forged armour as he softened his expression, before he nodded in response to her question. "Yes, Lily: he is safe and he is strong, but he'll never truly be that boy again: not that smile and certainly not that innocent. That's why he cast the ritual on Halloween: he did it to spite you for what you did to him."

"I…I didn't want to…" Lily sniffed, tears splashing onto the picture in her hands as she tried to speak to her old friend, "But…Albus and…and James; they said…said it was for Jason and…"

"And do you hear yourself, Lily?" asked Severus, his voice laced with shock as he asked, "How could any Mother, no matter the reason, how could a Mother choose one son over the other? He was sent to Wool's, Lily: you _do_ remember which other gifted child, which _Slytherin_ child was raised there, don't you? Let me refresh your memory: he went on to try and kill Dante and your Jackass son and yet was destroyed himself by forces unknown. Still don't know? Here's another clue: his name was Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"I know!" Lily screamed, her voice weak despite the temper that Severus had come to fear in his time as her friend, "But what was I to do, Severus? You saw him more than I did and then, when I saw him, he was…well; he was like _you_ more than he was James!"

"And do you ever think to yourself why that is?" asked Severus, knowing that Lily needed to shout like she was doing, "Did you ever ask him about the newest spell he was learning or quiz him on his knowledge? Just to let him know that his parents are there for him? No, Lillian Alexandra Evans-Potter, you did not: you left him in a room with books and no cares about what he did. Then, when it mattered to Jackass Jason, you had the Fraudship that you call a husband pay his Father a visit and threaten him to keep his nose out. You _do_ know why Taren became Taren in the first place, didn't you?"

"Because he went to your House," Lily answered, hating it when her full name was used: especially from Severus.

"Wrong," Severus answered, "You forget, Lily that I knew Frank and Alice and, Slytherin or not, they'd have been happy for Taren, but instead, your son, your _only _son decided to be the annoyance that his Father still is, if not worse, and stick his nose where it doesn't belong. _THEY DISOWNED HIM FOR MERLIN'S SAKE!_ Right in front of the entire school in the form of a Howler and, when his friends came to his aid, what happened? Daddy dearest complained when, if you think about it, _he _started all of this by disowning Dante! I don't suppose James told you why he did that, did he?"

"Because a snake like him deserves his comeuppance, Snivellus!" A familiar fierce voice answered, Severus now turning on his heel and coming face-to-face with the bane of his existence, James Potter. The eyes of the Lord of House Potter were filled with rage as he saw Severus Snape standing in his home thinking he could just barge in like he owned the place, though he conveniently forgot that he did something similar to Sirius Black.

"And disowning your son, your _ten-year-old_ son without so much as an alert to the fact is a comeuppance, is it, Potter?" asked Severus, now wanting to use some of his trademark curses on this little snot. "Is it enough that you leave him without a home or do you just get your jollies in making sure that Prince Jason is happiest while everyone else is scum on his boots?"

"Need I remind you that he is the Boy-Who-Lived?" asked James, Lily remaining silent, though a spark had entered her green eyes as she remembered what Severus had asked her. Meanwhile, James continued, "The entire world owes him their lives and they deserve a hero like him; not a nobody like what's-his-name…you know…Black's kid."

A smug smile crossed James' face as he said this, but that smile faded when he saw a cold grin on Severus Snape's face, the man then asking, "What happened to you on Halloween night, Potter? Hear any interesting rumours?"

"Quirrell disappeared and the school was attacked by a troll," James answered, earning a roar of actual laughter from Severus. "What's so funny, you grease-ball?"

"Still the same old snide remarks, Potter," Severus sighed, before he turned to Lily and, shaking his head, he answered, "You have no idea, do you? What _really_ happened that night; you just like to follow the herd like a good little sheep and you don't mind who gets in the way. I guess then that I have nothing more to say here; Lily, _Fraud_ Potter; I bid you good-day."

With that, Severus made it as far as the door before he heard hurried footsteps behind him; turning to meet them, Severus saw Lily standing there, her eyes filled with tears as she held out the picture of her and Harry, now Dante, before she whispered, "Please…Knight…help me…"

Taking the picture, Severus then turned it over and, meeting Lily's eyes, he whispered, "We were friends, Lily: I do this for that…but don't expect Dante to forgive you."

She nodded, then watched as Severus left the house, before Lily turned and, moving back into the living room, she asked, "James, why _did_ you decide to disown Harry? I know that you needed my consent as well as yours, but I can't seem to…"

She was cut off when James Potter struck her hard across the cheek, breaking the bone within her face as he hissed, "I thought I told you never to ask me questions about that nobody, Lily-flower?"

For a moment, Lily seemed to be silent, then she looked back at James and spoke with a voice that certainly wasn't hers, "Of course my love; please forgive me: I'll make a sweets package to send to Jason for school."

"Good girl," James laughed, watching as Lily left him alone in the living room, the eyes of the Potter Lord filled with a sense of lust and dark hunger that he would soon take out on her.

And the best part of it: she'd love every single moment…

_**FourHorsemen**_

The night before they were set to leave for the Christmas Holidays, Dante found himself being called to Severus' office with an added word of advice that it would be better for him to be there alone. Leaving the other Horsemen rather confused in the dormitory, Dante made his way down to Severus' office and, after his godfather had locked the door, he explained, "I paid a visit to the Potters' last week…and spoke with your…with Lily."

"I wondered where you'd gone to, Sev," Dante replied calmly, though his blood was boiling at hearing the name of his biggest betrayer, "Let me guess: she spent the entire time praising Jackass Jason and telling you that I'm the spawn of Satan himself."

"Though you are technically that," Severus remarked, coming close to making an actual joke as he reached into his desk and pulled out a black cloth that he handed to Dante, "She was actually a lot worse off than you may think."

Unfolding the cloth, Dante actually gasped when he saw the photo that Lily had held in her hands throughout Severus' visit: the memory of the day came back as clear as day to him.

_He'd_ gone over to the red-haired warren to arrange some sort of agreement between Jackass and some red-headed Lily Potter wannabe while _he_ hadn't cared what Lily had done so, to compensate, she'd treated Dante to a day out and had a magical photograph taken on a charmed Muggle camera to remember the day. When they'd returned home, Dante had been so tired that he'd fallen asleep in her arms and Lily had tucked him into bed before _he'd_ come home with Jackass and barked at her to come and see his precious son.

"Before you think of destroying that," Severus told Dante, "You may want to look on the back."

Turning the photo over, Dante gasped again as he saw Lily's handwriting on the back, her words faded from what looked like runny ink, but there was no denying what had really caused this: Lily had been crying.

_My sweet baby,_

_If you, Sirius or Severus have done what I think, then I've given this photo to Severus and, hopefully, he's passed it onto you._

_Harry, if you are still Harry, please forgive me: I don't remember giving my consent to do what James wanted for the disowning and whenever I try, he…he…he hits me and I feel…light-headed._

_I love you, my first-born little raven, and I always will: no power on this earth will ever change that, so please, my little one, please help me to remember._

_Even if you never speak to me again after this, I need your help…just this once…then you need never see me again, little Raven._

_Please, just set me free;_

_Mum – Lily_

Dante _wanted_ to rip up the letter and the photo, but, try as he might, he couldn't do it: this was his Mother, the woman that had given him life, begging him for his help and, as much as he loathed, hated and despised James Marcus Potter and Jason Godric Potter, Dante couldn't find it in his blackened heart to hate Lilian Alexandra Evans-Potter.

He'd always believed it and now, though he was a Horseman and had fed on a soul, he couldn't forget his promise:

_Through his anger and his wishes for revenge, Harry knew that there was one person that he couldn't hate and that was his Mother, Lily. No, he couldn't hate her: she'd wanted him safe and she'd wanted to keep him at home where he was loved by her and by Sirius and Remus. For that reason alone, Harry knew that, if he ever did find a way to retrieve his revenge on that closed-minded freak James and his Barbie-doll of a son, then he would spare Lily…unless she chose James, of course._

And, judging from this letter, it was clear that she hadn't chosen James: but something _had_ happened the day she'd agreed to disown him as Harry Potter, which had also been the first day that he'd started his life as Dante Black and now, as much as he wanted to do otherwise, Dante knew what he had to do.

He _had_ to set Lily Evans free from the _real_ demon around here:

James Potter!

**Chapter 7 and it seems that Lily has felt her backlash, but can Dante save her and will he ever forgive her?**

**Plus, just what lengths is James Potter willing to go to in order to silence the naysayers against the Perfect Prat that is his son?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Time passes by and the first-year comes to a close with Dante having words with both Severus and his Father about Lily: can he forgive her? Plus, Sirius and Dante try to figure out what happened when the Black Lord adopted the Black Prince and the Horsemen meet another mysterious partner in their destiny: one with a new place for them to call home…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: Also, if you enjoyed this story, then I would like to recommend the story **_**Harry Potter and the Horsemen of Apocalypse**_** by ADVPhoenix: the creator of the challenge behind this story and someone who REALLY knows how to get those inspirational juices flowing;**


	8. Dante's Inferno

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Harry – Dante/Hermione

Neville – Taren/Luna

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Blakekeane: Yes he is; I know it's a cliché for Wrong BWL stories, but this is honestly my first try at one;**

**Uzu kitsune: it's suggestions like that which helped me come up with the idea to release Lily and heal her;**

**Aflibble: I have plans for that family as well; remember that, in an ideal world, not ALL the Weasleys are with Harry/Dante, but neither are all Weasleys against him either;**

**T4: After the success of her role in another of my stories, I've always wanted to put a role for Lily where she was forced against Harry only to have her redemption; this seemed like the perfect opportunity;**

**StormyFireDragon: Then you may like what's to come, Storm; the fires of hell are closing in on a certain Jackass and it's time for Dante to act as the final lighter of the flames;**

**Vash M: Well, I would like to point out one thing for now with regards to love: they're 11 – 12 in Hermione's case – so give it time, my friend;**

**Harryhermionealways: Again, it's suggestions like that which helped me come up with Lily's healing and redemption idea;**

_He had to set Lily Evans free from the real demon around here:_

_James Potter!_

Chapter 8: Dante's Inferno

"So what are you going to do?"

Dante shook his head in response to the question that Hermione asked him, his eyes glancing out over the street and beyond that could be seen from his new bedroom. It was now Christmas Break and the Horsemen had gathered in Grimmauld Place, Sirius – and now Dante's – real home with Hermione and Luna getting permission from their parents to spend the holiday with friends. As part of their gathering, the Black Heir had shared the information surrounding Severus' visit to Lily with the other Horsemen and now, as Hermione had asked him, he was left wondering what he was going to do.

She was still his Mother: James had disowned him, but Lily had done nothing of the sort as far as true bloodlines were concerned; her strength and her genetics could still be felt by Dante inside his mind, body and magic. Even Sirius had said that Lily was someone that could never truly hate someone so much like she had apparently done when she'd disowned Dante.

The added hint in her letter that she couldn't remember the official disowning as well as the fact that James saw fit to harm her and abuse her while she was unable to fight back told him one thing. Lily was _clearly_ under some sort of long-term spell damage that James controlled, turning her into the perfect loyal, husband-loving, son-worshipping little wife that the purebloods of old would have enjoyed. This was a point in the favour of the argument that Dante should do something: he wanted answers and she had them, so, if he managed to set her free, then she would be able to give those answers.

However, Lily, under any sort of spell damage or not, was still a Light-follower and someone that had been raised as a follower of Albus 'I-Like-To-Ruin-Families' Dumbledore's regime for the time since her leaving Hogwarts and onwards. Even _if_ she left James and they found a way to undo the spell damage, how was Dante supposed to trust her with the fact that he, Dante Scorpio Black, and his Silver Circle – the Slytherins' reference for his famous foursome of friends – were in fact the harbingers of untold destruction.

This was a point against that argument that Dante should do something…

So, yes, Hermione's question pretty much summed up the inferno of emotions that burned inside the mind of the First Rider as he looked out over Grimmauld Place and beyond…

What was he going to do?

"I don't know."

_**FourHorsemen**_

Sirius, Dante, Severus and Taren all agreed that they would share this moment and so, while the girls had paid a return visit to their parents, Dante had asked Severus and Sirius for one favour: to take him straight to Lily without James knowing about it. It took until Christmas Eve for the moment to present itself and, as the foursome stood before Godric's Hollow, Dante felt a modicum of fear and anxiety worm its way inside his heart. While Jackass Senior and Junior were _entertaining_ the 'Boy-Who-Lived' worshippers at a _private function_, Dante found the opportunity he'd craved and, as he approached the front door, he actually confessed his emotional state at that moment, "I…I don't think I can do this."

"You know that you have to," Sirius explained, his hand flexed around the hilt of his wand as he stood behind his son, "But don't worry, because if anyone tries to stop this, then we'll help you: your safety is more important here."

"Thanks, Father," Dante replied, lifting a hand and, almost too easily, he opened the door to the house he'd been born in and raised in for nearly seven years. The house that had caused all this trouble on that fated night ten years' ago; the house that, despite Dante having wandered into the realm of the real place, was the one and only Hell on Earth for the First Rider.

"Lily?" asked Sirius, a small whimper of response coming from the living room; following the sound, Dante actually felt sickened when he saw the lifeless eyes of the woman that he had called Mother now looking at him, her skin actually looking paler than when Severus had visited and, what _really_ sickened him was the blackened bruise around her right eye: he didn't have any problems hazarding a guess as to where _that_ had come from. Sirius, it seemed, shared his disgust as he asked, "Oh, Lils, what's he done to you?"

"S-S-Sirius," Lily whimpered, Dante's cold resolve actually breaking as he felt an overwhelming urge to help combined with the childish worry for his parental figure that any child would feel. "Is…is this…"

"It's him, Lily-flower," Sirius replied, but his voice suddenly caught in his throat as the four of them saw Lily's body stiffen and her eyes appeared to glaze over. When she spoke again, her voice wasn't the stammering tone that it certainly was before.

"Oh, visitors is it? Excuse me, but I have to go and prepare dinner for my men."

"No you don't," Dante growled, the ice around him – as it had been snowing outside when they'd arrived in the Hollow – now entering the room as he told her, "Because we're going to get you out of here…Mother."

"Mother?" asked Lily in that light-hearted, submissively-broken tone, "I'm afraid that I don't recognise you, young man: my only pride and joy is my beautiful Raven, Jason: do you know him?"

'R-R-Raven?' thought Dante, stepping back and right into Severus' arms, the Potions Master looking to his old friend with a curious expression.

"I…wonder," he whispered, before lifting his voice as he added, "But are you sure that you don't recognise us…Lily-flower?"

Once again, Lily's body stiffened and her eyes regained their near-dead expression as she saw Dante now looking horrified and Sirius actually looking somewhere between disgusted and furious. "S-S-Severus: what…what did I…"

"Mind Magic," Severus whispered, pointing his wand at Lily as he added, "_Muffilato._"

The spell, which was designed to almost deafen a person to the point of hearing a buzzing in their ears, hit Lily while Severus looked to Sirius, Dante and Taren as he added, "Sirius, your old nickname for her: that's the phrase that James uses for his sick games."

"So whenever anyone says…" Sirius paused before he mouthed the words, "…Lily-flower…she becomes this…this thing that's certainly not the woman I remember?"

"It has to be," Taren answered, moving towards Dante with an almost brotherly embrace on the First Rider's shoulder, "She wrote that letter and addressed you by that name; she still loves you, Dante: it's because of that sick Potter that she's like this."

"Is…is there a way to pull her out of…what he's done to her?" asked Dante, almost pleading as he looked to Severus, "You're a qualified Mind Healer, Sev: can't you do anything to help her?"

"I can," Severus answered, before he bent down and, leaning close to his godson, he added, "But there's one person here that can do so much more: you, Dante."

"Me?" asked Dante, "How?"

"You _are_ the Rider of Death, are you not?" asked Severus, Taren gaining a look of understanding as he added, "The Master, Devourer and Reaper of Souls? If you can see them, sense them, detect their wavelength and also influence them to a degree, surely you can also _heal_ them?"

"I…I don't know…" Dante admitted, looking to Lily as he considered what Severus was saying, "I've…I've never tried to do anything with a soul except for the one I used with Voldemort. I don't actually know what…what my limits…what they are."

"Well I think that this may be a good time to find out, kiddo," Sirius told him, placing a hand on Dante's other shoulder as he explained, "I have faith in you, but maybe, just for confirmation, you should ask that valiant steed of yours for advice, huh?"

"Good idea, Uncle Sirius," Taren nodded, looking towards the man that _his_ Father had asked to be Taren's godfather; just like Dante would sometimes address Severus as Uncle, so too did Taren. "But we'd get a better chance doing this back at home; if any sort of that magic was used here, then we'd be in deep shit with Potter."

"All right," Sirius agreed, lifting Severus' charm as he directed his attention to Lily, "Lil…come with us: you're going to be safe now, I promise."

Dante tried not to smile as he saw his birth-Mother seek comfort from his adopted Father, her arms wrapped around Sirius' neck as Severus took the two boys while Sirius Apparated away with Lily in his arms.

Though before he left, Dante chose to leave the perpetrators of this sick crime a little gift that they'd _never_ forget…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Safely back in Grimmauld, Sirius took Lily to a spare bedroom with Dante and Severus following her, the First Rider already having summoned his scythe from the darkness, not caring if she saw it: Severus' suggestion had filled him with new hope and, when it was combined with what he'd seen and heard in the room in the Hollow, Dante's hope was only outmatched by his determination.

How could he have questioned his own soul?

She was his Mother, for Merlin's sake;

Horseman or not, he _was_ going to release her from James Potter's curse and then, when all was said and done, he'd tell her everything and let her decide what she wanted to do next.

Lying Lily down on the bed, Sirius actually stroked a lock of her red hair out of the way of her green eyes before he placed a gentle kiss on her brow as he told her, "Don't worry, Lily…we won't let him hurt you again."

"Is…is Dante here, Siri?" Lily asked, Dante's shell actually breaking once more as he heard the weakness in her voice as well as the care and curious emotions that were accompanied by her question.

"I'm here," Dante answered, moving to her side, keeping his scythe in full view as he held out his free hand, clasping the pale-skinned hand of his birth-Mother as he told her, "He'll pay for this: I swear it."

"Still so beautiful," Lily whispered, her eyes noticing the scythe as she asked, "What…what is that?"

"Part of what is going to save you," Dante explained, stepping back before he lifted the scythe over his head and, slamming it down on the ground, he commanded, "Come to me…Ragnarok!"

A loud, eerie whinnying sound echoed through the room, the lights within the room flickering into the shadows as the pale-decorated black horse rode out from the realm of eternal darkness, his fiery eyes on his Master as he bowed his head to him, '_Lord Death: you summoned me?_'

"I did," Dante answered, running a soft hand over Ragnarok's mane: as the Rider of the stallion, he – and the other Horsemen – were the only ones that could touch their faithful steeds without being burned or cursed by the touch of such hellacious-bred creations. Indicating Lily, Dante explained, "I need you to answer a question for me about my power."

'_What would you like to know?_' asked Ragnarok, recognising the red-haired woman on the bed from the memories and talks he'd shared with his rider; however, instead of anger towards her, Ragnarok noticed that the First Rider held only sadness and determination mixed with a venomous hunger for the blood and souls of his enemies.

"I know that I can sense souls and influence them to a degree like War can influence the emotions and mental conditions of her targets," Dante explained, keeping his scythe in hand as he asked, "What I want to know…and you _will_ tell me, Ragnarok," he added with a hardened glare to his stallion. "What I want to know is: can my soul-influence abilities be used to _heal_ a soul that has been damaged through non-physical means?"

Ragnarok wanted to argue against his Rider's wish: Death wasn't ready to know of that level of power, but still, he and the others knew that they couldn't disobey an order from their bearers and the First Rider had said that Ragnarok _would_ answer him.

Meeting the eyes of his Rider, Ragnarok answered, '_Yes, Lord Death: such a thing is possible, but it will take a great deal of magical and spiritual energy. Also, you will need a conduit to place your magic within when you try to heal the soul in question, whom I am guessing is the young Mistress on the bed._'

"It is," Dante agreed, looking to Lily as he asked, "What do I have to do?"

'_With the scythe,_' Ragnarok explained, '_You need to draw out her soul and then form a connection between the soul and the conduit that you will use; in such a case, my Lord Death, the only thing I can suggest is another who will willingly take her soul into them while you heal the remnants left behind._'

"You mean form an actual _soul-bond?_" asked Dante, actually shocked at the wording and the suggestion, "Are you sure there's no other way?"

"Dante," Sirius objected before Ragnarok could answer; meeting his son's gaze, Sirius told him, "From what you say in response to whatever that horse of yours is telling you, am I right in guessing that Lily needs some sort of spectral support for this?"

"Yes," Dante answered, "I can heal her soul, but the only way to do it is with another that will actually be willing to give themselves to her so that her soul can be stored inside them while I heal what's been damaged."

"And yet you have two old friends and companions of Lily's that would do it without needing to be asked," Sirius told him, indicating himself and Severus as he added, "To me, Lily's always been like the sister I never had and, before she even met James, her and Severus were best friends."

"And more than that," Severus added, "Like you, Sirius, I too saw her as family; then she met that Potter and he drew her away from me."

"Obviously not hard enough," Dante laughed, though he lost none of his serious expression as he added, "She chose you to be my godfather, Uncle Sev; she trusted you with me when that sick-headed slime-ball was treating her like a punch-bag and other such sickening images that I could do without. But you don't understand," he pointed to Lily before he indicated the scythe in his hand, "The formation that would be needed would _have_ to be permanent unless I found a way to reverse what I did when I got older. For now, according to Ragnarok, all I can do is forge the soul-bond between her and a willing recipient…but…"

"Do…it…"

The weakened tone of Lily Evans-Potter drew Dante back to her side, Ragnarok remaining in position as the First Rider held his Mother's hand once more, his eyes on her as he asked, "How can you say that? Look at me; look at what that sick freak turned me into; I…I don't want you to be used against your will again."

"I never…stopped…loving you…my raven," Lily whispered, stroking Dante's cheek with a gentle hand, "I always said to you…to be safe…be strong…and…"

"And know that I was loved," Dante finished; it was true as that had been the last thing she'd said to him on the day that photograph had been taken. "But…Lily…Mum…what about…what about what I am?"

"There is no good or evil…" Lily replied, her green eyes looking into the green eyes that had been passed to her son, even with the added blood from Sirius Black when he'd adopted the boy. "…There is only…power and those…too weak to seek it; I don't see a dark wizard. I see my baby boy grown up and…holding power that no-one else could understand. Light-side, Dark-side, Gryffindor, Slytherin…none of it matters to me. So, Dante, do it."

Dante couldn't hold his mask or armour back any longer; dropping to his knees, he bowed his head and sobbed into Lily's touch, holding both of her hands in his, the scythe clattering to the floor as he wept for everything he had been about to lose. Meeting her eyes, he told her, "I was…I was never angry at you; please…Mother…please forgive me."

"I do," Lily told him, a soft smile on her face before she asked, "If you'll grant me one condition."

"Name it."

"Sirius," Lily told him, Sirius now approaching the bed while Severus watched from afar; meeting his dark eyes, Lily asked, "Will you…will you be the one to take my soul?"

"Me?" asked Sirius, actually shocked despite the fact that he and Severus had both been willing to do this for her, "But…Lils…you _do_ realise what this will mean, especially if Dante can't undo this later?"

"Consider it…a thank you," Lily replied, holding her son's hand while she also held Sirius' hand, "For looking out for my baby…and not letting _him_ win you over."

"But…Severus…" Sirius remarked, but he was cut off by said Potions Master adding his two knuts.

"Didn't you hear Dante still call her Mother, Sirius?" he asked, his own sense of understanding knowing what Lily was thinking even though he wasn't using Legilimency on her, "_You're_ his Father and Lily knows he's sorry; she wishes to still be what he calls her and you're the only one that can do that for her. Isn't that right, Lily?"

Lily nodded, Dante now lowering his head as he too understood what she meant: he wanted a family and she was going to give it to him; she didn't care that he was some sort of dark being; to her, he was still her son.

Meeting Lily's eyes, Sirius asked, "Are…are you sure?"

Lily nodded again.

"And are you all right with this?" asked Sirius, now addressing Dante.

"I am," he answered, though a part of him wondered if this bond would do to Lily what it had done to Sirius…there was only one way to find out.

With a deep sigh, Sirius placed a gentle kiss against Lily's fingers before he told her, "Then I'll do it: besides, don't get me wrong, Lily, you _always_ were a lovely woman and, this way, it's like sticking the knife in deeper into that sick bastard I called my best friend."

To Dante's surprise, Lily gave a soft laugh as she looked to her son and, with a proud smile, she repeated her earlier instruction, "Do it."

Rising up, Dante looked to Severus before he asked, "Would you give us some privacy, Uncle Sev? I don't think you'll want to see what I'm about to do."

"Come on Taren," Severus instructed his son, "We'll go and pick up Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood and bring them here; as a treat for your bravery, you can all spend the night here as a Christmas sleepover; I'll see their parents about joining us for a drink afterwards, what do you say Lily?"

"Sounds good."

When Severus left, Taren giving his leader a whisper of good luck, Sirius sealed the room and, picking up his scythe once more, Dante warned his Mother, "This will hurt."

"I'm ready," Lily whispered, her eyes on her son and her soon-to-be bonded as she added, "And…in case it doesn't work…I want you to know that I'm still proud of you…Dante Black."

Dante didn't show any reaction; instead, he turned to Ragnarok and commanded, "Tell me what I have to do."

_WARNING: Slightly graphic images ahead_

Ragnarok fed his instructions into Dante's mind, the eyes of the First Rider blacking out as he summoned the full fury of his power; to him, he could see the severed soul strings within his Mother as well as the signs of the damage done to her from that sick bastard, Potter. As he had learned, a soul generally took the form of an animal or beast to his vision and, to him, Lily's soul looked like a proud and beautiful doe, though that doe was currently skewered by spikes and partially rotted around the head and legs.

'Potter _will_ pay,' Dante thought, placing his scythe on the spot between Lily's breasts as he glanced to Sirius, the Black Lord nodding with full understanding as he gave his silent agreement for Dante to proceed. Thanks to Ragnarok's instructions, Dante soon found his lips moving in a language that hadn't been spoken since the dawn of light and darkness, the words unintelligible and sounding more like the rasping growls of an ancient demon.

As the words moved from Dante's lips, the scythe's blade turned black and, as its magic was fed into Lily's body, the woman in question let out a piercing scream, her eyes wide with terror and, at the edges of her eyes, Dante tried not to let the sight of blood flowing from her eyes distract him. Thankfully, when Sirius had sealed the room, he had also sealed the room from eavesdroppers and stopped anyone outside hearing what was going on inside.

Dante's chanting began to grow feverish as he poured his dark magic into his will, the scythe now trailing around Lily's chest and, if it was a quill, Dante knew – and Sirius realised – that it would have formed the shape of the inverted crucifix that decorated the Horsemen's seals. Lily's screams seemed to grow louder and, though he _knew_ that he should stop, Dante continued, Ragnarok continuing to feed him the energy and knowledge that he needed. Once the shape was fully completed, Dante lifted the scythe and, cutting off his chanting momentarily, he met the bloody eyes of his Mother before he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Resuming his chanting, he stabbed Lily right through her heart, the absorbing power of the scythe drawing her soul out of her body, the weakened, rotted doe shape now turning into the same orb-like shape that Dante had devoured when he'd taken on Voldemort. Ripping the scythe out of Lily's chest, which also caused blood to shower all over the room, Dante prayed to every dark god and whatever Powers had given him the Horseman's skills to make this work before he turned and, with expert precision and skill, he stabbed the glowing scythe into Sirius' chest, the soul of the Black Lord, which was represented by a large bluish-coloured dog-like figure, now connecting with the doe.

To Dante, the two souls seemed to explore the other, the First Rider now placing his hand over the wound on Lily's chest, his magic coming to his aid here as he tapped into a combination of Rider Magic and Human Magic to close the wound just as Ragnarok was telling him to. At the same time, Dante gave a hiss of the demonic tongue that, if anyone could actually understand it, would have translated it as a three-worded magical command, "_Unseal and cleanse!_"

A bright silver energy flew out of the palm of the First Rider and, as he pushed down on Lily's chest, he poured the energy into her mind, her heart, her body and her soul, using the spiritual path from mind to heart to mend her soul. The spikes that had pierced the doe seemed to wither away as though they were thorns on an ivy plant, the blood that Lily had cried and bled seemed to dry up and cleanse itself away and, as though to complete the image, Dante then watched as the doe that was now inside Sirius' soul seemed to change and take the form of what looked like a winged creature, the dog-like shape of Sirius' soul also growing wings.

Before Dante could pull the magic away, the two newly-transformed creatures then flew out of Sirius' body, twisting and moving like some sort of aerial display team and, to finalise the magic between them, the two souls then split, becoming four souls – two as what Dante recognised as winged lions while the other two were the winged canines – that split off, one of each pair moving to Lily and Sirius and, to Dante's shock, entering both of their hearts, covering the two in a strong mix of blood-red and mercury-silver auras, the magic finally dying down around the First Rider, though Dante was in a whole new inferno of emotion.

Shock: what the hell had just happened?

Fatigue: damn, that ritual _really_ took it out of me.

Pride: I finally know the truth about her…I have my family back.

And, as much as he wanted to feel otherwise, Dante could also feel a sense of one emotion that he thought he had lost back when he had become the Pale Rider.

Hope: everything's going to be all right now…I hope…

_Slightly Graphic Images end here_

'_Congratulations on your success, Lord Death,_' Ragnarok told Dante, the First Rider lifting both his hands and, banishing the scythe, he nodded his thanks to Ragnarok before he glanced to the still form of his Mother.

"Are…are you all right?"

"Yes," Lily answered, her voice still weak, but there was a hint of the musical sweetness that Dante remembered as a child, "Thanks to you, Dante: now, who's your little equine friend and why is there a voice in my head calling me the new Mistress of Fears?"

"If you let me rest up, Mother," Dante grinned, placing a gentle kiss on his Mother's cheek, "I'll tell you everything that you want to know, I promise."

Lily was about to agree, but she found that she didn't have a choice as the fatigue in Dante suddenly overwhelmed him and, with nowhere to really collapse, the First Rider fell into the warm embrace of the woman that had given him life.

If fate had a sense of humour, they'd probably consider the debt of life repaid in full now…

_**FourHorsemen**_

"The Four Horsemen?"

"That's right," Dante answered as he sat on a chair in the lounge of Grimmauld Place; it was now New Year's Eve and, after sleeping off his ritual's magical drain for nearly four days, Dante had woken and celebrated a late Christmas with his rebuilt family, all the while remembering his promise to his Mother about the explanation. Now, with the other three by his side, he was doing just that, "I'm Death, Hermione's War, Luna's Famine and Taren is Pestilence, formerly known as the Rider of Conquest."

"Taren, eh?" asked Lily, eyeing the young boy that Severus had shared an honour with and asked her to be the godmother of, "Well, if I have to be honest, it's certainly better than Neville."

"I like it too, Aunt Lily," Taren replied, though a soft blush crept over his cheeks as he added, "I'm surprised that you're taking all this so well."

"So am I, Taren," agreed Dante, though he did remember what she had said to him before going ahead with the ritual; taking a deep breath, Dante then glanced to Severus and Sirius, who were in the room with them, as well as a pair of blonde-haired adults that both had the same air of mystery as Luna; these were Miranda and Xenophilius Lovegood and, unlike Lily, Sirius and Severus, they weren't all that surprised about the Horsemen.

As for Hermione's parents, they weren't a part of the meeting and it wasn't because they were Muggles; instead, Hermione had revealed with an air of finality that when she'd gained the War Amulet, her parents had seen her more powerful magic and, for want of a lesser term, had run from their own daughter and never looked back. Dante actually felt sorry for her and told his fellow Horseman that Grimmauld's door was always open to her, the other Horsemen sharing in his agreement.

The Horsemen rode together, after all.

"Back to the matter at hand," Dante then added, indicating his parents – as he was more than willing to think of them both as such – before he addressed another matter, "We've had some theories for a while now about why Dad was called the Lord of Nightmares, but now that Mum's been hailed as the Mistress of Fears, I guess it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

"Yes it is, Lord Death," answered Miranda Lovegood; she had a mystical voice that seemed to match her daughter's and, when she spoke, it was like listening to a wizened old storyteller. "When my daughter was born, the Powers saw fit to bless my husband and me with a vision of this future: the Horsemen rising again and uniting under the banner of an ancient House. We now know that House to be House Black and, with the exception of one that you shall meet at the next solstice, there is now nothing more for you to see and do or meet to accomplish your destiny."

"Are you a Seer, Lady Lovegood?" asked Hermione, listening to the woman's explanation about what was going on.

"The Lovegood line has been blessed with Seers in the past, Lady War," Miranda continued, "But, like Luna, I am merely able to glimpse titbits of the future that can either help or hinder our allies. As for what Lord Death has said, the truth about Lily and Sirius is as he suspects: they have both been chosen to lead and rule the citadel and prison of Azkaban and the Shadow Realms. Like the one that shall lead you to the final element of your destiny, young Horsemen, this same one shall show them to their destiny as Lord of Nightmares and Mistress of Fears."

"Oh dear, the wizarding world is in trouble," Dante laughed, earning a chuckle from the others as he added, "But, for now, as I've said since the day Voldemort's soul was destroyed, we can just relax and try to handle ourselves as we choose to. I'm certainly not against the idea that I finally get the chance to be a kid, so, for now, let's just enjoy the remainder of the holiday and return to Hogwarts with a new purpose."

"That reminds me," Taren then added, addressing Sirius and Lily as he asked, "How do you think you'll be able to explain your sudden unity, Aunt Lily?"

"Oh Taren," Severus chuckled, the tone actually amusing and unnerving a few of the members of the room as he addressed his son, "There's more to a soul-bond's formation than you may think."

"Exactly," Dante agreed, though he seemed to stare off into the distance as he added in a hushed whisper, "And I'm just _begging_ Jackass and the Sick Freak to try to make something out of this."

'Because I've been _hungry _for a new soul for a while now,' he added in thought, his spoken warning enough to unnerve the adults in the room.

As for the Horsemen, they shared his determination to deal with the troublemakers…one way…or another…

**Chapter 8 and a few surprises there; Dante's theory is correct, Lily is saved – but can it be reversed? – And home truths concerning a few other reactions are known, but who is this one that can show the Horsemen the final element?**

**Also, what did Dante leave as a **_**present**_** for the Jackass Duo and can he protect his family from a new backlash?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: A full-scale confrontation between brothers; plus, the Horsemen meet another mysterious partner in their destiny: one with a new place for them to call home…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I did this as a way for Lily to be free, but also because several reviewers asked for a potential Lily/Sirius pairing; the bond doesn't require anything romantic, but, if it's what the fans want, then I'll explore the pairing further;**


	9. The Powers That Be

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

**Author's Warning: **I should warn anyone reading this now: characters WILL be OOC and our favourite heroes ARE going to be Dark in nature. So, to paraphrase a friend of mine: if you don't like it, then don't read it; I've officially STOPPED listening to any bad criticism; this is MY story and I'll write it how I want.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**ArchAngelGundam: An interesting argument; certainly one that Dante could use against those who ask why he kills;**

**Lordblink: The outcome of the bond will be explored in due time, but you've hit the nail on the head with what I had planned concerning the consequences;**

**Gracealma: You may yet get that request granted as I've changed things just slightly;**

**StormyFireDragon: Time will tell, Storm; thanks to turning this back into my own story, I now know where I want to go with it;**

**Harryhermionealways: I don't think I have either, so it's a good angle to explore; for now, things go on as they are;**

**DaLintyMan: I haven't actually decided whether or not Dante's objective will be Dark: he's a Horseman, but not the Apocalypse-mongered being that historical and religious references say that he is;**

"_And I'm just begging Jackass and the Sick Freak to try to make something out of this."_

'_Because I've been hungry for a new soul for a while now,' he added in thought, his spoken warning enough to unnerve the adults in the room._

_As for the Horsemen, they shared his determination to deal with the troublemakers…one way…or another…_

Chapter 9: The Powers That Be

Going back to Hogwarts was, in all truth, actually hard for Dante;

Now that he had his family back on his side, which also included Lily in that expression as Dante had started calling her Mother again, the First Rider actually felt sad to be taken away from his family until the summer months. With Voldemort gone and the only true annoyance being Jackass' remaining existence, Dante didn't really _feel_ like going back to the school.

However, to counter that thought, he knew that he had to if he wished to learn more about his own magic and, on top of all that, he wanted to learn more about Professor Hunter Redgrave and this band of _acolytes_ that seemed prepared to serve the legacies and wishes of the Horsemen. So, as he sat in his compartment on the train ride back to Hogwarts, it was understandable that Dante was in a fairly quiet mood. Across from him and around him, the other Horsemen seemed to be a little more relaxed now that their leader had earned something good back in his life and, with the approaching easy-period that awaited them, they knew that now was a good a time as any for Dante to relax his mind, his will and his powers: there wouldn't be an enemy to overcome or a challenge that needed to be silenced.

There would just be him and his future, able to be used as and when he desired…

_**FourHorsemen**_

When the train reached Hogsmeade Station, Dante said nothing as he climbed out of his compartment closely followed by Taren, Luna and Hermione, the latter remaining close to her friend as she watched him make his way up to the school. The walk up to the main gates of Hogwarts actually seemed to take longer than riding there in the boat or in the carriages that the Horsemen knew they'd ride next September, but, for Dante, it was a refreshing walk. The crisp Scottish weather brushed a chilly breeze around the students while the darkening clouds overhead held a foreboding of rain, snow or, at the worst, a powerful-looking thunderstorm; either way, Dante was looking forwards to spending time with his friends back in the Slytherin House.

Passing into the Entrance Hall, Dante suddenly stopped and had to look again as he saw a slightly dishevelled Jason Potter standing between the Horsemen and the main doors to the Great Hall, the once-proud Jackass now looking like he'd been trying to escape a pack of hungry jackals. His manufactured robes were now heavily ruffled and looked moth-eaten in places and, for a moment, Dante was actually sure that he saw _ruffles_ around the collar and sleeves like something out of Elizabethan times.

"What happened, Potter?" he asked coolly, "You get caught in a sandstorm?"

"You know _perfectly well_ what happened, snake," snarled Jason, pointing a finger at Dante and his friends, "You did this when you took that spiteful bitch away from Father."

The comment alone brought Dante's darker nature to the surface; with speed and strength that he didn't know he possessed, the First Rider pinned Jason to the wall, his eyes glowing with murderous intentions as he explained, "Let me remind you of one thing, Jason Godric Potter: that _spiteful bitch_ as you call her, is, was and always will be the reason that you live and breathe. Like it or not, ex-brother or not, the one thing we still share is that she is our Mother and if I hear you insult her again, I will make sure that no future students have the misfortune of calling _you_ Daddy, am I clear, Jackass?"

"Let…let me go…you family-breaking, dark-worshipping piece of crap!" Jason snapped, his hand struggling to reach for his wand, but with Dante pinning him to the wall, all Jason could do was cry, "My…my Father will see you in…Azkaban for this: you can't treat the hero of this world like this."

"Oh," Dante laughed, increasing his hold on his former brother as he added, "That reminds me: do you want to tell them or shall I reveal Jasie's little secret?"

"What the fuck are you…" Jason began, but was cut off by Dante placing a mocking finger against his lips before he gave his answer.

"You're not the Boy-Who-Lived, Jasie: _I AM!_"

_**FourHorsemen**_

After ensuring his biggest problem's silence, Dante moved off towards the Slytherin Common Room, the new password – Erebus – providing the Horsemen access to the dorm where, once they were sure that they couldn't be overheard, Hermione turned to Dante before she asked, "We…we heard what…what you said to Jason, Dante; is…is it true?"

"Truth, Hermione," Dante chuckled, his voice filled with amusement and sincerity, "I'm not sure; I just wanted to give that shit-head a real taste of fear and that seemed to be the best way to do it."

"And you were the one to finish Voldemort once and for all," Taren added, earning a nod from his honorary brother, "So I guess that does make you a sort of saviour."

"Yeah," Dante laughed, "The kind they don't want, but at least we can spend the remainder of our year in peace and quiet: now, does anyone know if we had any tasks or assignments from Professor Redgrave?"

The Horsemen shared their leader's sense of amusement as they seemed to change back into normal students preparing for the term ahead…

_**FourHorsemen**_

**6 Months Later…**

If he was being honest with himself, Dante was looking forwards to the summer holidays even more now that he didn't have to put up with Jason, the orphanage or any of those one-track-minded Muggles that thought they knew best. For the summer, the Horsemen had agreed with Sirius, Severus and Lily to spend their time exploring their futures together and, as a double treat, Lily, Sirius and Severus had booked a holiday for Dante and Taren to celebrate their birthday and their success in Hogwarts.

When the results for the academic years had come out, the Horsemen had come out joint-first above all others, a first for Hogwarts according to Severus while each of them had their advantages over the others for a certain lesson: Dante for Defence, Hermione for Charms, Luna for Astronomy and History of Magic – which was a big surprise given that Professor Binns was another 'one-track-minded' sort of being – and finally, Taren for Herbology and Potions.

Taren would have originally come first in just Herbology had it not been for Dante's cousin and their dorm-mate, Draco Malfoy: over the year, the Horsemen had invited another new addition to their growing circle. Dante and Taren had invited Malfoy, who actually treated Dante with respect and equality after learning his lesson about Dante not being used for personal gain and, as for Hermione and Luna, they'd introduced the boys to Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, both of whom were proud Slytherins, but also fun to spend time with.

Around their friends, the Horsemen, including Dante, didn't have to be all dark, mysterious and brooding and if anyone gave the Horsemen trouble, their friends backed them up. Such was the case with a Slytherin higher-year named Montague when he'd thought he could insult Hermione away from Dante's earshot: three days later, he was in the Hospital Wing's isolation ward with a heavy case of dragon pox and infected bone marrow as well as a few signs of curses and hexes. The latter had come from Draco and Daphne while the infections had come from Taren, though he removed the pox and wiped Montague's memory of the event when Dante told him that such a severe case would be too suspicious.

So he gave him The Great Pestilence instead, knowing that the plague, at least, could be cured by magic and, given that the bulky fifth-year was a bit of a rat anyway, the jokes against him would be endless.

Packing away the last of his things for the summer ahead, Dante heaved a deep sigh before he walked over to his bed and, bending down, he reached under, a soft hissing escaping the area under the bed as Dante withdrew Lucifer from the darkness. If anyone else had tried to do that, the Black Mamba would have poisoned them something terrible, but Dante had no such fears as his new pet was as loyal as he was strong.

/_Time to go home, Lucifer,_/ Dante hissed, letting the snake coil warmly under the comfort of his robe. /_We won't be seeing this place again for at least two months._/

/_I won't be the first to admit that I'm going to miss the one that calls himself your kin, Master,_/ Lucifer hissed in response, though his voice was slightly sleepier than normal, /_It will be nice to just hunt and sleep without needing to teach any idiots a lesson._/

/_I think I'd agree with you,_/ Dante replied, /_Though my plans for this summer do involve more training and seeing about my parents' claims to the power of Azkaban: my sister's parents say that the time is coming for us to know our true home._/

By sister, he was talking about Luna; like Neville was an honorary brother, so too were the girls honorary sisters, though what was strange about that was that whenever Dante used that reference about Hermione, it just…it just didn't feel right. Almost like the War Rider was meant to be something more and Dante just couldn't figure out what that was; ah well, he was only eleven years old: any thoughts about _more_ could wait until he was at least thirteen.

/_I have enjoyed hunting these chambers, Master,_/ Lucifer confessed as Dante withdrew his scythe and, using his shadow-manipulation, sent his trunk away through the darkness, knowing it would be in place on the Hogwarts Express. /_However, before you leave, I think there is something that you should know._/

/_What's that then?_/ asked Dante, turning on his heel and walking out of the dormitory, a part of him feeling like he was going home and yet, at the same time, he wasn't going home, not really.

/_There's a place within the school,_/ Lucifer explained, /_Where I can smell one like me, Master: a serpent with greater power than my own and yet a connection to you._/

/_Really?_/ asked Dante, finding an empty common room; the others must have gone on ahead to the train without him. /_Do you know where this place is, Lucifer?_/

/_Regrettably, no,_/ Lucifer admitted, a sense of sorrow coming from the snake as he spoke to his Master, /_But it is here and whatever member of my kin dwells inside it, I know this much: he is a powerful one._/

/_That is…interesting,_/ Dante remarked, before he fell silent as he walked down to the Hogwarts Express, taking a mere moment to turn his head and glance back at the overwhelming sight of Hogwarts.

'What secrets do you hold, dear lady?' he wondered silently, before turning on his heel once more and making his way onto the Hogwarts Express, his chosen compartment already occupied by the other Horsemen.

_**FourHorsemen**_

"…te? Dante, wake up: we're back."

Dante hadn't even realised he'd fallen asleep on the ride back to King's Cross; however, as he opened his eyes, he smiled softly as he saw Hermione with her hand on his arm, obviously having tried to wake him. Craning his neck, Dante glanced out to the familiar sight of King's Cross Station's platform 9 ¾ outside his window, the throngs of parents waiting for their children as the train slowed to a halt.

To his dismay, one of the first parents that he saw waiting in the station was none other than James Potter, the hands of the Potter Lord curled into fists as he met the eyes of his former son. Quickly escaping his seat, Dante dragged his trunk behind him and disembarked from the train, the others following suit, the First Rider's dismay turning into delight when he saw his Mother and Father approaching.

"Hi, honey," Lily smiled, hugging her son warmly as she looked to his friends, "Did you guys enjoy the term?"

"No life-or-death scenarios, a Defence Professor that knew what he was talking about and, oh yes, I finally silenced Jackass," Dante looked thoughtful as he gave his answer, before he laughed and added, "Actually, it was a pretty boring term…Merlin, I am glad to be home."

"Likewise," Sirius chuckled, ruffling his son's hair before he explained, "Taren, Severus says that he'll meet us at my place and, until he gets there, I'd like you to do like you did at Christmas and treat the place like your home."

"What about me, Mr Black?" asked Hermione, Dante's sense of dismay returning as he looked to the brown-haired girl, only then remembering what she'd said about her parents running away and leaving her alone.

"You'll be coming with us as well, Hermione," Lily answered, noticing her son's discomfort, "Sirius and I know how much you and Dante enjoy spending time together and besides: what good is a Slytherin Circle without all the members there to enjoy themselves?"

By mentioning the Circle, Dante knew that his Mother was referring to the Horsemen, but the term was also used after Taren had remarked over the holidays that they were a new group of students, a circle of friends that would never part ways.

While Hermione thanked Sirius for his offer, Dante looked to his Mother before he dropped his voice as he whispered, "James is here: he's seen me."

"I know," Lily replied, taking her son's hand and holding it as if she was afraid she would let go of him and lose him again, "But don't worry, Dante: Sirius and I have been exploring our bond since Christmas and the advantages therein; there's nothing _he_ can do to try and take me against my will again."

With a gracious smile, Dante walked hand-in-hand with his Mother to the Apparition Point, pausing only once to say his goodbyes to Draco, Daphne and Tracey, Luna explaining that she'd meet with her friends in a few days before she too disappeared with her parents. Then, once they were sure that the coast was clear, Sirius summoned the aid of a House Elf named Kreacher to take Taren to the home while he and Lily used Side-Along Apparition to take Hermione and Dante to their home.

All the while, Dante noticed that the vicious gaze of James Marcus Potter never left their small party, the Black Prince departing with a smirk that would have made Severus proud, his lips forming two words of parting to the man that had turned him into what he was today;

"I win."

_**FourHorsemen**_

Retreating to his room as soon as he was home, Dante sagged down onto his bed and didn't even react when a swoop of wings came from over his head, before a snowy owl settled next to him, a pair of amber eyes fixing on Dante as he stroked the owl. This was Hedwig, the owl that Dante had chosen on the day he'd gone to get his things from Diagon Alley; while Hogwarts' rules said that students needed an owl, cat or a toad, Dante had chosen Hedwig and just let her enjoy herself as she wished as he didn't need an owl all the time. Not when he could just step through the shadows and summon Ragnarok for anything that was top-priority.

"Home sweet home," he whispered, stroking Hedwig while he adjusted to the feel of home.

However, Dante should have been more careful in realising that the life of a Horsemen thrived on the unexpected as, at the very same moment that he felt perfectly relaxed, an icy coldness seemed to fill his room, a coldness that hadn't been summoned by Dante and, before he could make any attempt to figure out what was going on, his world was consumed by blood-red flames as he was taken away from Grimmauld Place.

_**FourHorsemen**_

When Dante managed to regain control of his senses, he felt a little confused and discouraged when he saw that he was in the Shadow Realm where the steeds of the Horsemen resided until they were summoned. Speaking of the stallions, the First Rider then noticed that all four were also standing there with him, a confused trio of Hermione, Luna and Taren riding on their backs. Next to Dante, Ragnarok nuzzled his rider before he addressed him, '_Are you all right, Lord Death?_'

"Just fine, Ragnarok," Dante answered, getting to his feet before he sighed as he asked, "Let me guess: you need me to get on your back and ride you?"

'_For this one time, yes, Lord Death,_' Ragnarok answered, Dante obliging his stallion as he climbed up; however, just as he sat on Ragnarok's back, the body of the stallion feeling remarkably comfortable despite the skeletal, demonic appearance of the horse, a familiar cold blew through the Shadow Realm and, before he could ask a question, Dante gasped as he saw a familiar crucifix seal appear in the space between the four Horsemen, a bright flash of green and black light escaping the seal.

When the light faded, Dante's eyes widened when he saw a man standing there, the eyes of the man as black as Dante's whenever he tapped into the power of the Horseman. The man was dressed in a two-piece black suit with a blood-red tie and sharp black shoes; in one hand, he carried a black cane that held a silver skull at the head of the cane. His face, skin and hair were as pale as death itself and, as he glanced to the Horsemen, he seemed to smile before he spoke with a cryptic, power-laced voice, "So…the gang's all here, are they? Good: my greetings to you, my Horsemen."

"Your Horsemen?" asked Dante, his eyes on the man as he tried to dismount Ragnarok, but, to his shock, he couldn't leave his stallion's back. Instead, he was apparently trapped on the back of the stallion and, as he looked to the man again, he saw an amused grin cross the man's face. "Who…who are you?"

"I am the one responsible for your amazing powers, Death," the man answered, giving a nod as he added, "And yes, I did call you _my_ Horsemen as I am the one that heads the powers inside you: some call me the First, some refer to me as _El Diablo_, but you, my fearsome foursome, may call me Mephistopheles."

"As in…the Devil?" asked Hermione, her eyes wide with shock.

"The Devil, Lucifer, Hades, Anubis, whatever you decide, but I always preferred that name: Mephistopheles; ancient and eternal," the eyes of the man then looked to the Horsemen in turn as he added, "Just like the four of you: Conquest, sorry, I guess it's Pestilence now; then we have Famine, War and, of course, my pride and joy: Death!"

"What do you want with us, Mephistopheles?" asked Dante, his hands now holding a chained set of reins tied to Ragnarok.

"To help you fulfil your destiny, of course," Mephistopheles laughed, "The darkness that you thought you had claimed is not truly gone, Death and, without my help, you will not have the power to destroy it once and for all."

"What darkness?" asked Dante, hating the thought and realisation that this…_creature_ was holding his life in his hands, "Do you mean Voldemort? That's impossible; I devoured his soul."

"Did you?" asked Mephistopheles, lifting his cane from the ground before he smashed it down; as if on command, a grey substance began to spread across the ground, forming a mirror that, with another commanding crash of the Devil's cane, revealed the image of the night that Dante had taken the Philosopher's Stone. "Look closer."

Dante did as he was asked and, as he looked closer, he saw it: the thin veil of darkness that trailed away from the chamber while Dante himself took the stone from the mirror.

"He's…he's still alive," Dante growled, the flames around Ragnarok heightening as the anger of the Horseman was felt by the stallion. "And he's coming back."

"Not exactly questions, but yes and yes," Mephistopheles answered, the mirror surface vanishing beneath him as he walked amongst the Horsemen, his voice reaching each of them as he explained, "You may have touched the surface of your powers, my Horsemen, but without additional help, help which can only be provided by the powers inside you and those who wield them, you will not be strong enough to escape the true destiny before you. Despite the history behind your mantles, it is not Armageddon that is your fate, but the true balance of the world: the war of light and darkness must be kept between the Powers and not the mortals."

"So what do you want from us?" asked Taren, watching as the Devil stroked each of their steeds in turn before he stood before the four of them once more.

"Come with me to _our _world," Mephistopheles explained, "Learn the power inside you: master it and command it; then, when the time is right, I will return you to the mortal plane as Full Horsemen and you shall be able to bring about the Balance once again. You, Death," he pointed his cane at Dante before he explained, "You will get the chance to destroy the darkness that haunts you once and for all and, when you do that, I will release you from the obligation of being my Horseman. You may keep the Power for yourself, but once you destroy the darkness and send Tom Marvolo Riddle to me where he belongs, _then_ you may have your life back…so, do we have a deal?"

"How long will we be…gone for?" asked Hermione, watching Dante with strength in her eyes that she tried to share with her partner-in-fate.

"A couple of years in the mortal time," Mephistopheles answered, "But a lot longer to the rest of you: that is the deal and it is the only way to save your own fates."

"Do it!"

Dante's sudden exclamation had the Horsemen _and_ Mephistopheles surprised; meeting the blackened eyes of the Devil with his own, Dante added, "I swore that I would do whatever it took to bring him down and I will: so do whatever you need to, Mephistopheles: for the chance to grind Voldemort's ashes into the fires of hell, I'll do anything! Take me, teach me, do whatever you wish with me: I am Death and I _will_ feed on his soul, his _true_ soul."

"Dante," Hermione insisted, "Let's stop for a mo…"

She was cut off by another loud crack from the cane of Mephistopheles, her voice turning into a cry as the shadows and the powers within them swallowed the Horsemen into its embrace, taking them away from the lives they knew.

And on towards the fate that they had chosen for themselves…

**Chapter 9 and the Horsemen have witnessed their true destiny, but what will be the backlash from this choice by Dante?**

**Also, can they restore the Balance and destroy the mortal darkness once and for all?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: A timeskip and the Horsemen return to a few surprises and a changed Hogwarts; also, it's brother meets brother as Dante learns a startling truth; and, to top it all off, Sirius and Lily take their own mantles and Dante and co gain a new residence to act, train and become the Horsemen…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: A slight change here from what I had, but it was the only way to keep my juices flowing and keep the story as my own; the idea for the meeting came from a reviewer making a joke-comparison between the Horsemen and a certain Marvel anti-hero;**


	10. Interlude: Friday the 13th

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

**Author's Warning: **I should warn anyone reading this now: characters WILL be OOC and our favourite heroes ARE going to be Dark in nature. So, to paraphrase a friend of mine: if you don't like it, then don't read it; I've officially STOPPED listening to any bad criticism; this is MY story and I'll write it how I want.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Dadby: Don't worry, Hermione, like the others, will go through a change of sorts as a result of her training;**

**Netherman14: Sounds like a good idea; now all I have to do is figure out what it should be;**

**Guest: I respect your opinion, but as I've tried to prove, when it comes to Voldemort, Dante's attitude is demanding and reckless; the 'shoot-first-ask-questions-later' sort of person;**

**StormyFireDragon: Well here's an update for you, Storm: I only hope that I can keep on this streak I've been on lately;**

**Winged Seer Wolf: If that was an open 'if-I-want-to-use-it-I-can' suggestion, then thank you: that sounds amazing;**

**T4: The encounter will happen very soon, I can promise you that much;**

"_Dante," Hermione insisted, "Let's stop for a mo…"_

_She was cut off by another loud crack from the cane of Mephistopheles, her voice turning into a cry as the shadows and the powers within them swallowed the Horsemen into its embrace, taking them away from the lives they knew._

_And on towards the fate that they had chosen for themselves…_

Chapter 10: Interlude: Friday the 13th

"He's back; Voldemort's back!"

The cries of disbelief from the students of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang seemed to last for a lifetime and a half as Jason Potter made the declaration that would change the world. As his Father, James Potter, dashed towards him, a look of worry and almost successful pride in his eyes as he put his arms around his son before he asked, "Are…are you sure, Jason? You actually saw him?"

"Yes, Dad," Jason replied, revealing a thickened gash that ran down his arm, "Lestrange was there and she slashed at my arm and brought him back with my blood: does…does this mean what I think it does?"

"We'll have to speak to Professor Dumbledore," James answered, helping his son to his feet before a scowl crossed his face as Cornelius Fudge approached, fumbling his bowler hat nervously. Steeling himself for the encounter, James told the Minister, "My son does not lie, Cornelius: if he says he's back, and if you look at his arm, you'll see some other evidence, but if he says that he's back, then he's back."

"I know, James," Cornelius replied, his voice laced with false sympathy for the situation as he explained, "I'm sure that we can arrange for your son to have open will for his magic; after all, the saviour of our world can't be left unarmed, can he?"

"Would 150,000 votes help steer the deal in our favour, Minister?" asked James, not really concerned about the ripple in his everlasting fortunes. When Fudge agreed and walked away, James snorted before he told Jason, "Come on son; your Mum's waiting for us with Kassie: let's go and show them the _real_ Triwizard Champion."

Jason nodded in response as he followed his Father away from the scene of madness and mayhem…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Had James or Jason looked back, they would have seen a pair of cold black eyes watching them from a nearby tree, the false sense of fatherhood and loyalty shown by James Potter reflecting in the eyes of the owner of the black eyes as it spread its wings and flew off into the night. Over hill and vale did it soar until it reached a rather out-of-the-way manor house in the northern districts of Ireland where, standing at a window, a head of fiery-red hair looked up to the winged creature and, holding out her hand, accepted the creature onto her fingertips before she turned to face a dark-haired male figure standing next to a fireplace.

"So he's back," whispered Sirius Black, his eyes reflecting in the low glow of the flames that burned in the hearth, "And as we predicted, James is playing this for all its worth."

"That means they'll come back soon, Siri," explained Lily Evans-Black, her green eyes now filled with a hint of darkness as she seemed to banish the raven on her hand with a wisp of smoke, "I miss Dante as much as you do, but we both knew this would happen: once he comes back, then we can come out as the new rulers of Azkaban and he'll have an army at his command."

"He'll have that anyway, Lily," Sirius reminded her, lifting his eyes from the flames as he looked to the woman that, for the past year, had been his official wife and Lady Black. A lot had changed in the time that Dante and the others had been gone from the mortal realm, but the only clue that the Master of Nightmares and Mistress of Fears had was that their son, the First Rider, would return when the Big Bad came back. Meeting her green eyes, Sirius continued, "While I hate that I had to lower my own guard around the place for Ra-bastard to escape last year, I know that Dante won't turn his back on his fate and, as Death, he'll have the greatest army in existence at his command…quite literally too."

"And in the meantime," Lily explained, her voice calm as she let her head rest on Sirius' shoulder, "We have Severus help us keep an eye on James and the death-bait that I called my son: it sickens me to think that I'll do that."

"Well," Sirius whispered, placing a soft kiss on Lily's lips before he let his hand rest on a slightly swollen bump on her stomach, "You can soon cleanse that sickness when our little one, Dante's little brother or sister, is born."

"I know," sighed Lily, keeping her eyes on the flames as she let her head rest against Sirius, "But that doesn't stop me missing him: Dante, I mean."

"He'll come back, Lily-petal," Sirius assured her, putting a comforting arm around his wife's shoulders, "Just you wait."

_**FourHorsemen**_

From the moment that church bells across the country struck midnight on Friday the 13th July, the world's future was changed in over a thousand ways.

In a dimly-lit room within Riddle Manor, the Dark Lord Voldemort had begun contemplating his work against Dumbledore and the brat that dared to call himself the Boy-Who-Lived when, suddenly, an icy wind blew through the room, extinguishing the fires in the hearth and making the windows rattle with an added touch of magic. Drawing his wand, Voldemort cast a powerful Illuminating Charm, though his light only lasted a few seconds as the lit wand revealed a realm of eternal fire and walls that seemed to be alive.

From within the flames and the living walls, a sound like the ticking of a clock echoed around Voldemort, the tick and tock of the clock as erratic as a heartbeat. After a few long minutes, the clock's ticking was joined by what sounded like Gregorian chanting that seemed to resonate around the Dark Lord, Voldemort now turning his wand on each side of the room as he demanded, "Who's there? Show yourselves: your parlour tricks don't intimidate me."

The response from the unusual magic that seemed to envelop the Dark Lord was an increase in the volume of the chanting before, almost surprisingly, the chanting went from the ethereal, creepy language of the Gregorian style to a haunting voice that resembled a small girl's. With a laugh that would have worked in a creepy horror-movie scene, the girl's voice then spoke from all around the room.

_"As I lay me down to sleep; I pray my soul is mine to keep._

_And never step outside this bed, Into all the evil, Now back from the dead."_

The words seemed to send a cold chill through the room before, with a sound like a gong being struck, the lights, the flames and the living walls all vanished, leaving the Dark Lord alone in the darkened room. Just when Voldemort thought that the strange encounter was over, the gong returned once more, but this time, it was accompanied by a deep, booming voice that, like the ominous chanting, seemed to come from all around:

"TOM RIDDLE: I COME…FOR YOUR SOUL…AND THIS TIME…YOU SHALL NOT…REST…IN…_PEACE!_"

The smash of the windows within his room sent the Dark Lord flying as the declaration finished, leaving a darkened room with the cold wind blowing, though Voldemort would need a few hours before he could wake up and make any sense of his supernatural visitor.

Whoever it was, _whatever_ it was, the Dark Lord would make sure that they weren't long for this world…

_**FourHorsemen**_

At the same time that the windows within Voldemort's manor exploded with the supernatural force of his otherworldly visitor, many miles from the manor, within a tower of a certain castle, an apparently _untalented_ Seer suddenly shot upright, her voice catching in her throat as she gasped with a fear as though she'd been drowning.

Sybil Trelawney's hands clutched at her throat as she tried to find a breath that could penetrate what she was feeling: it felt as though her heart was being squeezed by her lungs, which were being strained to their limits with a feeling like a major asthma attack. Scrabbling for a glass of water that she kept by her bed, Trelawney went to swallow the water, but stopped when a scream escaped her lips as the water turned into thick green acid that burned at her throat and singed her voice.

When she tried to throw the glass away, Trelawney's screams returned as crystal balls, decks of tarot cards, dreamweavers and all sorts of items and bric-a-brac were thrown around the room by forces unseen and unheard. The crystal balls and the viewing stones smashed, showering the seer with an ocean's worth of glass and unseen magic that pierced the skin that had been untouched by the acid she'd swallowed.

As a final touch, which was the most unusual of all, Trelawney gave a final gasp and, as she keeled over, collapsing against her bed, she couldn't help but gasp out a final word to this…ethereal force;

"Thank you!"

_**FourHorsemen**_

The screams of the Divination Professor would go unheard by all, or almost by all as down in the office that was the residence of the Defence Professor, Hunter Redgrave lifted his head and, checking a calendar on his wall, he rose from his own bed and moved to the stand where he kept his sealed katana. Withdrawing the sword from its scabbard, Hunter revealed a blood-red sword that was currently glowing with ethereal magic that reflected the ice blue eyes of the long-term Professor.

"Master," Hunter whispered, his gaze reflected in the glowing blade of his weapon, "You've come home: and I am ready to serve you."

_**FourHorsemen**_

The final effect of the day didn't take place until, rather ironically, the thirteenth second of the thirteenth minute of the thirteenth hour when, deep within the halls of Noir Manor in Ireland, the flames all flickered into darkness, the windows were all sealed up and the house was filled with an ominous sense of cold. As though it was sensed from all sides of the house, Sirius and Lily Black both moved down towards the underground levels of the mansion where they found one Severus Snape already waiting for them, his eyes filled with shock as he saw the magic that had captured the mansion.

"Lily, Sirius: what's going on here?" he asked, shivering with the cold as the magic actually seemed to flow around them, forming itself within the base of the underground.

"I don't know, Severus," Lily answered, watching with an almost expectant gaze as a new circle of flames suddenly appeared: these flames were a deep, ethereal shade of purple and seemed to carve a shape into the ground that, for a moment, looked familiar to Lily, but she couldn't quite remember where. It was only when the final point of the shape was formed that Lily, casting an _Ascendio_ charm on herself, lifted her body off the floor and glanced down on the symbol from above.

With a look of intense happiness and hope, she settled down onto the ground and, taking her husband's hand, she told Severus, "You may want to stand back!"

A loud clap of thunder stopped Severus from asking any questions, the ominous sound followed by an intensely-bright glow that came from the centre of the fiery seal before, as though rising from the dead, _they_ appeared.

Black figures that were standing tall and proud, their eyes, manes and hooves encased by fierce glowing flames that licked at the ground before returning to the figures that were assembled within the seal. However, upon the backs of these figures were sat four heavily-armoured warriors that looked _very_ different from the last time they were seen: the armour seemed to stick out in certain places, though the appearance was only adding to intimidation as it looked like these figures had been spawned from the darkness itself.

Their hands, which were covered by clawed gauntlets, held tightly onto the reins on their mounts and, as the seal revealed the hooves of the four creatures, so too did it reveal the ground of the underground chamber once more. For a long moment, nothing happened, but then, with a swift motion that made it look like they had just floated off their mounts, the four riders dismounted and stood before Sirius, Lily and Severus, the leader of the four removing his helmet with a mere wave of his hand, the helmet dissipating into nothing but smoke.

Under the helmet, much to the delight of Sirius and Lily, was the pale-faced, raven-haired expression of their now-teenage son Dante Scorpio Black, his face holding a thin scar over one eye that gave him a sort of devil-may-care appearance, his black hair now hanging over his shoulder in a braid that was obviously hidden by his helmet. When Dante opened his eyes, Lily _and_ Sirius both cried out as their son didn't reveal emerald-green eyes, but two orbs that were as black as night, the edges of his eyelids holding a marking to them that was almost tribal in appearance before, much to their relief, the black eyes and mask faded away to reveal Dante's signature green eyes, though the blackness actually seemed to swim in his eyes as a sign that it was always present.

Dante didn't say anything; instead, he turned and, lifting his hand, he nodded to the others, causing his companions to shed their helmets in the same fashion as their leader, revealing the greasy-haired appearance of Taren Salazar Snape, though Severus had to shudder when he saw that his adopted son now held a pair of ice-cold blue eyes, one of which held a scar of his own that ran from above his eyebrow to under his lower eyelid. Next to Taren was the pale-haired, blue-eyed form of Luna Selene Lovegood, who just smiled with an air of innocence as she lifted her hand, toying with a strand of her white hair that was tucked behind her ear.

Finally, standing so close to Dante that it was almost suspicious to Sirius and Lily stood Hermione Jean Granger, her messy brown hair now sleek and straight and covering one eye, which left her remaining brown eye exposed to the world. As she stood next to Dante, Sirius and Lily watched with amusement and a sense of awe as Dante turned and, after muttering something they couldn't hear to Hermione, he tucked her hair back, which revealed a shock to the assembled adults as they saw Hermione's other eye to be a fierce shade of gold that shone like a feral creature, the outline of this eye holding a mark that looked like the burn of a flame.

"There," Dante whispered, a soft smile crossing his face as he nodded to Hermione, "You have nothing to hide, Mione: we are who we are and nothing can change that."

Sirius and Lily were still shocked into silence as they heard an icy edge to their son's voice that made it sound ominous, but apathetic at times, though before they could ask any questions, Dante turned back to them and, stepping away from the seal that had brought him to the manor, he gave his parents a curt nod before he smiled broadly at them and spoke again;

"Hey kids: did you miss us?"

**Chapter 10 and a sort of interlude between the two adventures, but Dante and his team are back and it seems that things have changed in a big way: what else has gone on while the Horsemen were away?**

**Also, what did the Horsemen's return, Trelawney's death, Hunter's blade and Voldemort's message have in common? Or is it all just one big Friday 13****th****-based coincidence?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: It's brother meets brother as Dante learns a startling truth; and, to top it all off, Sirius and Lily take their own mantles and there's a battle when Voldemort goes after the remaining members of his circle, which can only mean one thing: first blood for the Horsemen;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter; it sort of came around as a little bridge between them leaving and them returning and yes, for those who recognise it, Voldemort's little message was inspired by the mind games and theme of WWE superstar, the Undertaker: sounded perfect given that Death himself was after the snake-faced monster;**


	11. The Fire Rises

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

**Author's Warning: **I should warn anyone reading this now: characters WILL be OOC and our favourite heroes ARE going to be Dark in nature. So, to paraphrase a friend of mine: if you don't like it, then don't read it; I've officially STOPPED listening to any bad criticism; this is MY story and I'll write it how I want.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Sonicthehedgewolf: Here's the update as requested: and here's where it gets good again;**

**Man of Constant Sorrow: Yeah well, I guess you could call it one of those moments where you just couldn't resist;**

**Giddyguest: I guess he does have that edge to him; I didn't mean to come across as insulting;**

**Ultima-owner: Yeah well, you'll see him using it soon;**

**Winged Seer Wolf: They're perfect, my friend: I hope how I use them makes it interesting;**

**StormyFireDragon: Here's where things get good again, Storm: I hope you enjoy it;**

**Netherman14: And…what if it does?**

**T4: You may yet be surprised with what I had in mind for those little twists;**

_Sirius and Lily were still shocked into silence as they heard an icy edge to their son's voice that made it sound ominous, but apathetic at times, though before they could ask any questions, Dante turned back to them and, stepping away from the seal that had brought him to the manor, he gave his parents a curt nod before he smiled broadly at them and spoke again;_

"_Hey kids: did you miss us?"_

Chapter 11: The Fire Rises

"Dante?"

"It's me," the First Rider laughed, lifting his hand to brush his bangs away from his dark-green eyes, "And if I may be so bold, it feels so good to be home again. Much has changed, but now I see that the world needed us to come back: hi, Severus."

"Dante," Severus replied, looking to the shocked expressions of Lily and Sirius as their son stepped out of the circle, his black armour vanishing to reveal a suit of noble-style robes that hugged his strong frame, his eyes still shining with that dark fire. At the same time, Taren, Hermione and Luna also left the circle, their armour also revealing their clothes underneath, though the girls were dressed in less skin-tight clothes and more comfortable attire.

Hermione, once she was free of the circle, didn't waste time: standing next to Dante, she asked, "Voldemort's back, isn't he?"

"He is," Sirius replied, clasping his son's shoulder as he added, "And you can inform the First that we received his message, though next time, he should make sure that only _one_ person escapes Azkaban."

"There won't be a next time, Father," Dante informed Sirius, his words colder than ever as he then moved to his Mother, resting his hand on her stomach before he added, "This little one will carry the legacy of Azkaban and become its Prince or Princess when they're old enough."

"So much for the big announcement," laughed Sirius, though he figured that he shouldn't be surprised: from the meagre amount of power that he held as the sovereign of Azkaban, Sirius could see that his son had gained some major levels of power. His magic actually seemed to be one with the spirit of the Horseman that he had become. Once the seal had vanished, Sirius indicated the steeds before he asked, "What about them?"

"They stay," Dante explained, returning to Ragnarok, who lowered his head and snorted at the touch of his Horseman, "Until we call on them: for now, we have tasks to deal with and I need to meet with a warrior of mine. Which reminds me," here, he glanced back to his Father before he explained, "Sometime soon, Snake Face will call on his old followers and try to take Azkaban; before that happens, I want you to disown Lucius and annul his marriage to Narcissa."

"Why?" asked Severus, though he gasped when the Dark Mark that heralded him as a spy began to burn once more, the power that burned the mark coming from Dante, who was pointing a finger straight towards Severus.

"For the same reason that I'm going to remove the Mark from your arm, Severus," Dante explained and, sure enough, Severus felt as though the taint of magic that linked him with the Dark Lord was actually being ripped from his arm, leaving his skin bare and his magic once again his to control and use as he wished. "To protect those who matter to me: I may not know Narcissa, but I won't allow Voldemort to put Draco between me and my destiny: Father, please, as your son, I beg you: do it."

"Very well," Sirius agreed, though he knew that Dante wasn't really begging: over the brief Christmas holiday that they'd spent together, Dante and the Horsemen had talked about the Circle and their alliance and advocacy from the Malfoy Heir. "I'll leave for Gringotts first thing tomorrow: for now, I think that we should return upstairs and talk about what's going on."

"I'm afraid that I can't do that, Father," Dante retorted, moving back to Hermione's side as he explained, "Like I said, I have a warrior to meet and we need to make sure that the defences of Azkaban are reinforced for when Voldemort makes his move. He _won't_ escape this time!"

The darkness seemed to gather around Dante as he swore this last point, though Sirius also saw that Hermione, taking Dante's hand, seemed to calm the storm that had threatened to rise from within the Black Heir. It looked like the suspicions that Sirius and Lily had believed were now being proven true.

"All right," Lily piped up, slightly awed at her son's new levels of power as well as slightly proud that Dante had a key support from someone that he could trust. Clearly, much had happened while they were training within the realm of darkness and, though Dante was somehow transformed into this battle-ready leader, he was still a child inside…a child with friends and support from all sides. Clearing her throat, Lily continued, "Your Father and I will prepare to leave for Azkaban: Taren? Would you and Luna mind helping us sort out?"

"Of course, Aunt Lily," Taren replied, Severus actually chuckling when he heard a soft, apathetic tone that was eerily similar to his own.

"And you two," Lily added, indicating Dante and Hermione, "You go and do whatever you need to do: just make sure you come back before we go to the Island, is that all right, Dante?"

"Yes Mother," Dante replied, tightening his hand around Hermione's before, in the presence of his friends and family, he summoned the shadows and vanished within a plume of darkness that swallowed the two Horsemen into its embrace.

Once they were gone, Sirius approached Taren and, indicating the spot where Dante and Hermione had stood, he asked, "Are…are they what I think they are?"

"Trust me, Uncle Sirius," Taren replied, a soft smile crossing his face as he followed his Father and his honorary aunt and uncle out of the basement level, "We learned more than the truths about our powers from the First."

_**FourHorsemen**_

Hunter Redgrave was prepared for the worst when the shadows folded in front of him, before they parted and revealed the forms of Hermione and Dante, the loyal warrior kneeling before the First Rider as he remarked, "My Master; my Lady; welcome back to the mortal realm: I have been waiting on your return."

"I knew you would be the one to meet with us, Hunter," Dante explained, keeping his voice calm as he allowed the warrior to rise, "Have you been keeping watch for us at the school?"

"Yes, Master," Hunter replied, "Much has changed and much has stayed the same: your allies within the Snake Pit have stayed true to your ways and they seem to have gathered an army for you within the House. Though you have been absent, you have become the true leader of that House."

"And what about the school?" asked Hermione, "What's changed there?"

"After your departure, the school became held by a dark curse from within," Hunter explained, lighting a fire in what Dante now recognised as the Forbidden Forest. He hadn't known where he'd meet, but it was clear that Hunter had thought ahead. "It was tied to the one that has returned from the netherworld, but stopped, almost coincidentally, just in time for the end of the year by the fraud that called himself your kin."

"Where did this curse come from?" asked Dante, interested by the way that it seemed to have all taken place within a year.

"An infamous chamber within the school," Hunter explained, "It was known as the Chamber of Secrets and, apparently, it could only be accessed by the true Heir of its Founder, Salazar Slytherin. In a battle with one of your advocates, Master, the fraud discovered that he shared your gift for speaking to the serpents and he was able to rescue a young woman from the curse and heal the Muggleborns of the school."

'Must be the chamber that Lucifer found,' Dante thought to himself, glancing to the dimly-lit silhouette of the school in the distance. Clearing his throat, the First Rider asked, "What happened within the Chamber?"

"A Basilisk was discovered to be responsible for petrifying the student body," Hunter explained, his voice now holding a tight edge to it as he explained, "Though I remained as Defence Professor, I was asked to aid another fraud by the name of Gilderoy Lockhart that, _regrettably_, found himself eaten by the Basilisk before the fraud that was your kin killed it."

'Then it needs to come back,' Dante thought, already making plans to use his newfound powers to deal with this little obstacle, 'Jason was never a Parseltongue: Fraud Potter wouldn't allow a Dark Gift to possess his Golden Brat: I smell someone else's work here.'

"If the school was healed," Hermione piped up, appearing to pick up on Dante's train of thought, "What about the Headmaster? How did he handle this?"

"He got himself suspended, my Lady," Hunter explained, "And seemed to come back just in time to deal with the fallout, though I have not heard the fraud speak the language of the snakes since that event. After that, there was a breakout at Azkaban and…"

"We know this," Dante explained, "We planned for it to happen: while I didn't like it, personally, The First told me that it was necessary for me to deal with Voldemort once and for all. Apparently, it was one Rabastan Lestrange that escaped due to a gap in the guard rotas, is that right?"

"Yes, Master," Hunter replied, "Though he was not alone in his escape: Peter Pettigrew and Bellatrix Lestrange escaped with him and, in the case of the Pettigrew man, he met his end at the hands of James Potter, though the bigot was exonerated through self-defence: he also revealed to me in that year that he has become a Father again."

"Really?" asked Dante, interested by this information, "My Mother was under heavy charms and curses: how did…"

"He _claimed_ that it was an accident of nature and a moment of weakness," Hunter explained, his words showing that he didn't believe it. "A young woman named Helena Winchester attracted him and, after your Mother embraced her own bond with the Nightmare Lord, he married this woman and revealed the existence of his child: a rather high-spirited young girl named Kassandra or Kassie for short."

"So he chose to punish her further for choosing me over Jason," Dante hissed, though he found himself unable to hold any hatred towards this new addition to the family. "You said that he _revealed_ her existence; how old is she?"

"She comes up in the new year, my Lord," Hunter explained, though he seemed to be impressed by something that Dante couldn't recognise. Before the Horseman could ask for an explanation, Hunter gave it, "She is not like Jason, though she does follow his example, she is her own young woman."

"And I bet that, in time, James would hate that," Dante growled, though he also had to laugh as he added, "This has potential, though: I don't know her all that well, but to turn another member of Jason's family against him…oh, it's just too priceless."

"Stay focused, Dante," Hermione advised him, taking his hand in hers before she asked, "What about the past year, Hunter? How, exactly, did Voldemort come back?"

"Through the Triwizard Tournament and the acts of a desperate man in the name of fame and fortune," Hunter explained, his own expression returning to the look that said he didn't believe his own words. "The Jackass, as your advocates call him, Master, found himself entered in a Tournament meant for adults and wizards that were of age and emerged as the true champion. In the midst of the confusion as to how he could have entered, Voldemort made his move and used the blood of Jason Potter to return to the world."

"Then he did use that ritual," Dante whispered, staring off into the distance as he mused, "Bone of the Father; flesh of the servant and blood of the enemy: one of the darkest necromancy rituals out there: it's funny, though."

"Why?" asked Hermione, though Hunter had the same look and curiosity about him.

"By taking Jason's blood," Dante explained, "Voldemort has unwillingly created a bond with Jason and will no doubt forge a link of visions, nightmares and even the ability to see through his own eyes within the Jackass. If he wanted, Voldemort could corrupt Jason to his side and make him feel weak, insignificant and alone, though with Daddy Dumbest backing the Ministry, it's clear to me that the wizarding world won't turn on their Not-So-Noble Hero."

"What are your orders, Master?" asked Hunter, keeping his head bowed as he listened to his Master's voice.

"My parents are going to be coming out as the new rulers of Azkaban," Dante explained, his voice filled with new strength as he told Hunter his own tale, "Before I returned as a physical manifestation, I played a little game on Tom Riddle that will, no doubt, force him to advance his plans and move on Azkaban, which is exactly what I want him to do."

"Because when he does," Hermione added, "We'll be waiting for him and Dante will finally get his chance to take the rest of Voldemort's soul into himself and destroy him."

"Exactly," Dante remarked, tightening his free hand as he added, "Then, once that is done, I'll be coming back here to Hogwarts: the battle's not over yet and, if I know a certain senile, blind-sided old fool, he'll bring his own gang to Azkaban and it's there that I'll make him see the error of his ways."

"Will you reveal the secret, my Lord?" asked Hunter, though when he looked up, expecting a harsh or cold-toned answer from his Master, Hunter only found the endless darkness of the forest looking back at him.

_**FourHorsemen**_

"Will you reveal the secret?"

"I don't know," Dante admitted as he returned to Noir Manor, Hermione still holding onto his hand as they stepped out of the shadows, "It seems to be my ace in the hole and the one weapon that I have that James and Jasie can't overcome. Ever since our training with The First began, I've been considering it, but now, with my destiny waiting for me and the thought of actually cementing myself as a Rider coming around, I just…I just don't know what I want to do, Hermione."

"Well," she replied, turning to face him before she lifted her hand and, stroking the scar that ran across his eye, she leaned in close and brushed her lips against his, her voice as soft as fresh-fallen snow as she told him, "Whatever you decide, my brave Lord Death, you know I'll be there to ride out with you."

"I'd expect nothing less from you, War," Dante agreed, returning the kiss before he tucked a strand of her brown hair away from her dual-coloured eyes as he added, "After all…you _are_ my Chosen One."

_**FourHorsemen**_

Recovering from the mysterious message that he'd been sent by the powers unknown to him, Tom Riddle began to make plans: with the Brat-That-Lived now hailed as the one chance the world had for salvation, he knew that he'd have to advance his own plans.

For that, he needed two things: his followers and the fears of those who stood in his way.

When he had both, the Dark Lord would be able to make his move on regrouping the remaining members of his circle from Azkaban Island;

And there wasn't a power on this earth that could stop him…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Another year had come and gone and Draco Malfoy still found it a challenge to try and keep his lunch down whenever he saw the fickle sheep of the wizarding world fawn over the Boy-Who-Lived. In the absence of the new Silver Prince, Dante Black, Draco had kept the resolve of Slytherin together, gathering his own team and making sure that Dante's will was obliged even from beyond wherever he'd gone to.

When Bellatrix and Rabastan had escaped Azkaban, Draco had actually felt worried because he knew that this meant the Dark Lord was coming back and, sooner or later, Draco would gain that cursed mark on his arm and actually have to abandon his friends.

He didn't want that;

He wanted to remain a strong and proud Slytherin, yes, but he didn't want to have to kill anyone to get it;

Thankfully, his salvation seemed to fly through his window as Draco was busy trying to get down to some summer studying: a grey-winged owl that held a parchment bearing the Crest of the Black Family.

Taking the parchment, Draco cracked open the seal and gasped when he recognised Dante's handwriting with a simple instruction;

_Dragon, _

_I don't have much time to explain with a letter, but, as Heir Primus, I have a wish for you: get your Mother and GET OUT of your home; go to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London and tell Kreacher that Master Black has sent you; he'll protect you as will the family magic until Father's done with his task._

_DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE UNTIL WE GET THERE_

_I'll explain everything when we meet; you have my word…my cousin._

_Dante_

'What's wrong with Dante?' wondered Draco, though he did move to oblige the Heir Primus of his request.

_**FourHorsemen**_

Travelling through the combined power of the Horsemen, Sirius, Lily, Dante, Taren, Hermione and Luna all gathered within a dimly-lit chamber that was located within the central division of Azkaban Island, the floor beneath their feet decorated with the sealed crucifix symbol of the Horsemen. Lifting his hand, Dante called on his power and lit up the chamber, before he and his companions stepped out of the circle, leaving Sirius and Lily to stand in the centre, the Black Lord now holding a strange serrated sword with a jet-black blade as well as a cross-guard shaped like a skull's face.

"Here goes nothing," Sirius remarked, cutting at his palm with the blade of the sword before he did the same to Lily, both of them linking hands before their blood splashed down onto the seal at their feet. Meeting the seal, Sirius gasped as he felt the cold power of the darkness rushing through his veins, its intensity stronger than ever before as he lifted his head to the ceiling above, his voice echoing around the hall. "As Heir Apparent to the power of Nightmare, I, Sirius Orion Black, proclaim myself to be the new Sovereign of Azkaban and Lord of the Nightmare Hordes: so mote it be!"

"So mote it be," chorused the Horsemen, before Dante's attention was distracted by Lily's voice.

"As Heir Apparent to the power of Fear, I, Lily Alexandra Evans-Black, proclaim myself to be the new Lady Regent of Azkaban and Mistress of the Armies of Fear, so mote it be!"

"So mote it be!" repeated the Horsemen, the seal at the feet of the new Lord and Lady of Azkaban now glowing with black magic.

BOOM!

The sound, which was like the crashing echo of a thousand storms, ripped through the chamber, a loud and piercing shriek coming from above, the shriek attracting the attention of the Horsemen as Dante returned his attention to his parents.

"Continue with the declaration," he commanded, drawing on the power of the Horsemen as he summoned his scythe from the shadows, the summoning act bringing out his black armour at the same time, "Taren, Hermione and I will deal with that upstairs: Luna, make sure they complete the rite and then come and find us. _NO-ONE_ escapes Azkaban this time."

"As you command, Lord Death," Luna replied, watching as Taren and Hermione also changed into their armour; as they did so, Sirius then noticed that the amulet Hermione had gained as the Lady of War was now engraved into the region around where her heart would be on the armour, the pulsing veins of the stone passing through the armour in a series of violet and blue strands.

"Come on!" Dante then commanded, smashing his scythe on the ground before he summoned Ragnarok from the shadows; mounting his faithful stallion, Harry thrashed at the reigns and flew off through the darkness, Alucard and Damien keeping pace with their commander and allies.

_**FourHorsemen**_

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

The green flash of the curse struck down one of the Aurors on guard as Voldemort moved through the prison, his followers moving in stride as they sought out their comrades in arms, some of them casting Patronus spells to keep the Dementors at bay. Within the walls of the prison, the darkness only amused the Dark Lord as he commanded, "Leave none alive: kill any that resist!"

"Does that include me, Riddle?"

Hearing his birth name, Voldemort rounded in time to see a whirlwind of black energy pass by him, knocking his followers down like pins in a game of bowling, the source of the energy appearing to be a shimmering figure in the darkness beyond, the shimmering of the figure coming from the flames that burned beneath him.

"You!" hissed Voldemort, "I know you: I've felt your fury before; now tell me: who are you?"

"I am the debt that all men must pay," the newcomer, one Dante Black, the Horseman of Death exclaimed, his magic now released from his body, the strength of so much darkness making a few of the Death Eaters tremble, especially when he added, "And now it's your turn to pay, Riddle!"

"The debt that all men must pay?" asked Voldemort, his hand wrapped around his wand as he pointed it towards the figure, "Then pay this one: _Avada Kedavra!_"

The green light flew from the wand of the Dark Lord, but, as it neared the Rider, there was a soft hiss before what seemed to be a swarm of dark creatures spawned out of the darkness and swallowed the light, their essence turning to dust while Dante just laughed.

"You'll have to try harder than that to kill me!" he insisted, snapping his fingers for emphasis; from the darkness, either side of the First Rider, War and Conquest/Pestilence appeared, both of them ready for their own roles in the battle.

"Who do we have here?" asked Voldemort, "More that think themselves capable of matching _my_ power?"

"I am two opposing ideals made flesh," War insisted, the stone within her armour glowing with new magic.

"I am the darkness of Mother Nature," Pestilence added, the darkness around him becoming thick and cloying.

"And with one more," Death finished, "We are a greater darkness on this world than you will ever hope to be, Tom Marvolo Riddle: you would be wise to turn around and run!"

"Lord Voldemort never runs!" Voldemort exclaimed, firing off two more Killing Curses, but, once again, the shadows moved and the creatures from within devoured the energy. "Kill these interlopers!"

His followers, the Death Eaters, made to move towards the Horsemen; however, as Death leapt from the back of his own steed, he drew his scythe and, with precision and dark strength, he slashed it clean through three of the Death Eaters, their souls flying from their bodies as their flesh crumbled to skeletal remains. As Voldemort watched in horror at the situation before him, the three souls that had been separated from their flesh became embraced by the power of Death, the dim blue light of the souls being devoured through the armour of the Horseman.

"Who…what are you?" asked Voldemort, actually frightened as he faced the three warriors before him.

"Don't you know?" asked a fourth voice, a final Horseman appearing next to Pestilence as this newcomer added, "I am the darkness of Human Nature and, together, we are the force that will bring you to your true end, Tom Riddle!"

"It…it can't be!"

Voldemort rounded once more, his eyes now filled with hatred while, behind him, the eyes of the Horsemen widened under their helmets as they looked upon more newcomers. Albus Dumbledore as well as James Potter, much to the chagrin of Death, who tightened his fists with a new hunger burning deep inside him as he faced the opponents of the Death Eaters and the enemy of Death himself.

"I wondered when they'd get here," he mused, before he also noticed the shocked, but stupidly un-afraid expression of Jackass Jason Potter standing next to his Daddy, "But I never expected _him!_ This should be fun!"

"Tom," Dumbledore remarked, though he couldn't keep his eyes off the four figures beyond the Dark Lord.

"Albus," Voldemort replied, looking upon the Order of the Phoenix, "So these…things are with you?"

"Not at all," Dumbledore informed him, "But I cannot allow this to continue: all this Death…such evil cannot exist here."

With a cold laugh, Death held up his scythe and, facing his former family as well as the man that would once again become his Headmaster, Dante readied himself for a fight. "Bring it on, Albus Dumbledore!"

A Stunning Spell was fired past Dumbledore as Dante finished his exclamation, the source of the spell coming not from Dumbledore or James, but Jason Potter, who faced Dante with a new strength while Albus and James watched with horror, "Jason," James exclaimed, "What are you…"

"I'm the hero of the wizarding world," Jason exclaimed, "And as much as I would love to take on _him,_" he indicated Voldemort before he indicated the Horsemen as he added, "This freak's just put himself at the top of my list!"

"A challenge?" asked Dante, dismissing his scythe and replacing it with a wand of his own that had been forged by the First: Rotted Yggdrasil with Demon's blood and brimstone straight from The Pit.

"I accept!"

**Chapter 11 and Dante's debut as a Horsemen seems to give him a battle that he's waited YEARS for; who will emerge victorious in this battle of two brothers?**

**Also, will the Horsemen's identities be revealed in the battle or will they overcome their own demons and escape with their secrets intact?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Brother Vs. Brother and Dante reveals the truth to Jason; plus, it's the Horsemen vs. the Order vs. the Death Eaters as the remaining trio show their new powers and the Lord and Lady of Azkaban reveal themselves: will Dante feed on Voldemort's soul or will he be forced to wait longer?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I would like to thank Winged Seer Wolf for the words used by the Horsemen to introduce themselves to Voldemort; they definitely fit in place;**


	12. A Royale Family Affair

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

**Author's Warning: **I should warn anyone reading this now: characters WILL be OOC and our favourite heroes ARE going to be Dark in nature. So, to paraphrase a friend of mine: if you don't like it, then don't read it; I've officially STOPPED listening to any bad criticism; this is MY story and I'll write it how I want.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Darkheart81: Short, but sweet as the old expression goes; at least, I hope you enjoy it;**

**Man of Constant Sorrow: It was a fun line, wasn't it? Just the thought of the confrontation in movie-time rather than writing: brrr, it leaves chills to the imagination;**

**Winged Seer Wolf: Regrettably, Winged, this will be a short one, but it's not over yet;**

**LeeArt: Things will change come the Horsemen's return to Hogwarts;**

**StormyFireDragon: Whether or not that happens, Storm, depends on an answer from Dante that will be asked in this coming chapter;**

**T4: Do you know what? That is an interesting scenario, but I have an idea on how it will happen;**

"_A challenge?" asked Dante, dismissing his scythe and replacing it with a wand of his own that had been forged by the First: Rotted Yggdrasil with Demon's blood and brimstone straight from The Pit._

"_I accept!"_

Chapter 12: A Royale Family Affair

Standing tall and proud opposite his former brother, Dante gave no indication of a sign of weakness, his energy already growing stronger thanks to the three souls he had devoured. His time with The First had taught him that the feeling wasn't one that he should back away from and, after what had felt like an eternity's worth of training and focus within the Other Realm, Dante had realised that he no longer feared the taste of a soul: in fact, he _relished_ it.

"I don't know who you are," Jason exclaimed, pointing his wand at Dante with a gaze filled with strength and conviction, "But I can't allow evil like you to exist; not when I've taken down the biggest evils before today."

"You mean that corpse behind you?" asked Dante, watching as Neville, Hermione and Luna all moved to intercept the Order and the Death Eaters, the creatures of shadow still moving to protect their masters from Killing Curses and the like. "He doesn't look dead to me, Mr Potter: he looks alive and well."

"A mere setback," Jason insisted, "I'll destroy you first and then I'll finish him off: so, come on freak, show me what you've got."

"As you wish," Dante laughed, lifting his demon's wand as he added, "_Incendricus!_"

Black flames flew from the end of his wand, igniting the area between Dante and Jason and, at the same time, blowing a hole clean through the nearest cell, which thankfully was empty, though Dante did notice a look of fear and horror in Jason's eyes as he looked at the flames eating away at the wall.

"What…what is _that?_" asked Jason, a note of fear in his voice as he turned back to Dante, "What…what _are_ you?"

"I told Tom Riddle and now I'll tell you," Dante answered, his dark energy filling the space between them as he explained, "I am the debt that all men must pay: First of Four who ride out to bring balance and order to a world of chaos; Harbinger of Shadows and Master of the final judgment. Ringing any bells, yet, Jason Godric Potter?"

"How…how do you…"

"Know your name?" finished Dante, smiling broadly as he felt the fear emanating off of his kid brother; so much for the _big_ hero, "I know the name of every soul in my crosshairs and yours has been on my list for some time: now, I'll ask again: is my name ringing any bells?"

"The debt that all men must pay," Jason answered, shaking slightly from the feeling of darkness that he could feel, "That's Death, but death is just a state: whoever you are, you're _not_ him."

"Oh no?" asked Dante, snapping his fingers and summoning his scythe and holding it in his free hand, "I daresay _this_ might change your mind: I _am_ Death, first of Four Horsemen and the one that will defeat Voldemort and take his soul for myself…not you…_pretender._"

The word seemed to bring back Jason's sense of self-worship as he laughed at Dante, his wand pointed straight as he exclaimed, "I'm _no_ pretender; I'm the hero of the wizarding world and the one that will bring you to your knees: let me prove it: _Incarcerous._"

Ropes shot out of Jason's wand, but, like before, as soon as they neared Dante, they were swallowed up by flames that protected the First Rider, a cold laugh escaping Dante as he asked, "Is that the best that the so-called _Boy-Who-Lived_ can do? Simple Binding Hexes and Disarming Charms won't be enough to defeat _me_: you don't face a human here, Jason: you face a _divine being_ as I will now prove."

Lifting both of his hands, Dante threw them forwards and, as Jason watched, he gasped in shock as several flocks of birds seemed to move from the shadows, each one comprised of either fire or ice and each one aiming straight for him.

"_Protego Horriblis!_" Jason exclaimed, a silver shield rising up around him and, for a moment, Dante thought that the spell would work as his summoned creatures appeared to slow. But then, with a loud shriek that was more like the cry of a banshee, the birds pierced the shield and attacked Jason, bursting into flame and flash-freezing – becoming animated forms of ice – before they exploded all over him, showering him in a mix of flame and ice. Jason, meanwhile, shivered as he lifted his wand, his eyes wide with shock as he gasped, "That…that's not possible; that…that spell is m-m-meant to s…stop Dark M-Magic."

"Not mine," Dante reasoned, holding both his wand and his scythe in his hands as he asked, "Now, the big question is what I do with a liar and a pretender like you: do I just kill you and let you rot in the Pit for eternity or do I devour your soul and…"

"_Confringo Maxima!_"

The spell came so suddenly that Dante had little time to wield his scythe, the enchanted blade easily absorbing and devouring the spell while he glanced to the caster of the spell: it wasn't Jason Potter.

It was James.

"Get the hell away from my son, monster," James snarled, standing protectively in front of Jason as he looked into the darkened helm of the First Rider, "If you want to take someone's soul, then you should just _try_ and take mine!"

"I was wondering when you would ask that," Dante laughed, looking to the other Horsemen, who were easily keeping the Death Eaters and the Order away from their battle: Hermione had summoned what looked like black dogs of death that were amplified in strength by her power as War. Neville had summoned several Inferi from the ground and were keeping the Order at bay while Luna was using her power over the effect of Famine to drain the strength of the Death Eaters' magic away from their bodies.

Facing the source of his own darkness, Dante sighed before he explained, "You know what? All this hide-and-seek is fun, but if I'm going to take my revenge, I'd sooner look my target in the eyes."

"What do you…" James began, before he gasped as the helmet of Death's armour faded away, revealing a pair of cold green eyes that looked oh so very familiar to James, "You!"

"Me," Dante replied, dismissing his scythe to the darkness as he added, "And I've waited an age and a half to bring you to your knees, _Fraud_ Potter: so, let's do this: _Sectumsempra!_"

James barely dodged the Slashing Curse that was aimed at his head, the power of the spell cutting through his robes while Dante, moving past his petrified ex-brother, just sneered before he asked, "Running away _again_ Jay-Bear? Is that the best that the Daddy of the Wrong-Boy-Who-Lived can do?"

"WHAT?" Roared Voldemort, now facing Dante while the First Rider moved to face his former father.

"They never told you, Tom?" asked Dante, indicating the jabbering mass of flesh that was Jason Potter, "He's not the Boy-Who-Lived: I AM!"

"LIAR!" Snarled James, firing off another high-powered Blasting Curse, but this time, Dante countered it easily by summoning his friends from the shadows and, with a smile, he continued approaching James, who was now yelling for all to hear, "A freak like you could _never_ be the hero of this world: working in darkness and running away from the support that I bent over backwards to give you."

"Oh," Dante replied, cutting off James' path of escape by summoning a wall of black ice that sealed him in with the First Rider, "You mean by ostracising me and locking me in my room when we had visitors. Or do you mean the times when I had to be Jasie's yes-man and be there simply because he didn't die? Or how about when you put Mum under so many charms and curses that it broke her soul in so many pieces that it was a miracle that _I_ managed to heal her? Tell me, James Potter, when did you do _anything_ for me?"

"I let you live."

"That's all I wanted to hear," Dante grinned wolfishly as he added, "And it's all _they_ needed to hear as well: isn't that right, Lord and Lady Azkaban?"

From within the shadows, Lily and Sirius Black both emerged from the darkness, their foreheads now bearing a mark that looked like a deformed cross with leathery wings, their bodies now encased in thick black and silver armour that seemed to draw in the shadows around them. In Sirius' hand was a serrated black sword while in Lily's was a dagger that looked more like the fang of an ancient beast.

"You wished him dead," Sirius hissed icily, the sight of the new rulers of Azkaban making the Death Eaters _and_ Voldemort stare in shocked disbelief, "He wants you dead: it looks like only one of you is going to get your wish, James Potter. And since Dante _is_ Death, it doesn't look too good for you."

"And as for you, Tom Riddle," added Lily, rounding on the Death Eaters as she lifted her hands, "I have some friends here that would like to say something to you and your followers: _feast!_"

A swarm of black shadows seemed to draw themselves out of the walls as Lily directed the shadows, which were revealed to be the largest nest of Dementors that anyone had ever seen swarming all over Azkaban and targeting the Death Eaters. In their cells, the rogue and captured Death Eaters screamed in terror as they were fed upon by the soul-sucking demons while, in the halls of Azkaban, the Death Eaters that worked with Voldemort ran and fled in trails of shadow, leaving the Dark Lord alone against the Four Horsemen, Jason Potter still cowering in the corner from his own exposure to the creatures.

As for Dante and James, they faced one another and, as James looked into the eyes of his former son, he saw only vengeance and a hunger that had never been seen in anyone human for centuries.

"You…let…me…live?" asked Dante, almost amused at the notion, "Does that imply that if it had been me that had been scarred, you'd have abandoned Jason? Do you have _any_ sense of family left inside you, James Potter?"

"Of course I do," James laughed, "Jason is the apple of this world's eye and he's going to rescue it again: you're nothing but a freak and a monster that deserves this place or even the Veil as your comeuppance."

"And how will that happen when my Father, my _true_ Father, owns Azkaban and I command the power of the Veil itself?" asked Dante, slamming his hand down onto the ground as he reached into the essence between life and death itself. "How will you defeat one who has looked into the eyes of the Devil himself and flipped him the bird?"

An ominous rumbling started to pass through Azkaban as Dante fed his power into the ground, several thick cracks appearing around the edge of the place where he concentrated his dark magic, his eyes blacking out as he added, "Let me answer those questions for you, James: by bringing back the dead itself! _Rise again; I, the Master of Death, command you!_"

With a huge splintering crack, the ground beneath Dante's feet split open and, from within, a large, black-scaled, one-fanged creature emerged from the darkness, its eyes on full view as it moved to protect Dante. Stroking the head of the creature fondly, Dante asked, "Recognise this, Jasie?"

"No!" cried Jason, firing off a Cutting Curse that only seemed to be absorbed into the scales of the creature, "I…I killed that _thing_; you're not scaring me, dark wizard!"

"Let me try harder then," Dante laughed, indicating James as he added, /_Feed: kill him if you must, but make it hurt._/

The creature, the Basilisk, struck at James, its jaws parted and its eyes filled with longing as it swallowed his corpse, a scream emitting from Jason Potter before a sound like the snap of fingers made the Brat-Who-Lived jump out of his skin.

When Jason looked again, his eyes were wide with terror as he saw James, his Father, curled up in the foetal position, whimpering and crying, but very much alive. As for the Basilisk that Jason had killed, it was nowhere to be seen; instead, the large form of a Dementor was hovering close by, a strand of violet energy linking it to Sirius, Lily _and_ Dante.

"Consider that a warning," Dante explained, his voice as cold as ice as he faced Jason, "The only one I want to kill now is Voldemort: work _with_ me, my former brother, or stay the hell out of my way: challenge me again and I'll devour your soul _and_ feed James to the Hounds of Hell without a second thought, am I clear?"

"Y-Y-Yes…" Jason gasped, his eyes wide and a dark stain appearing on his trousers as Death's scythe was now pinned to his throat.

"Yes _what?_" Asked Dante.

"Yes…my Lord," Jason gasped, watching as Sirius lifted his hand, apparently dismissing the Dementor while Dante moved past the Lord of Azkaban and faced Dumbledore, his eyes filled with cold fury.

"I've all but done your job for you, old man," he told Dumbledore, his voice showing his rage as he added, "You made a mistake: the prophecy was a lie and your saviour is nothing more than a baby that can't do anything without Daddy dearest. Now, here's how it's going to work: I'm coming back to Hogwarts in the fall as are the other Horsemen. Anyone gets in my way, I devour their souls; anyone tries to intrude on my work, they'll feel the full fury of the Seven Circles brought down on them, am I clear?"

"Yes…Death," Dumbledore replied, already fearing the end result if anything happened to change: Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the End of Days, had the power and support of Azkaban on his side as well as access to magic that Dumbledore himself had never been able to use. He was also dark in origin and in spirit and, the worst part of this entire thing, the worst thing that Dumbledore could understand given how merciful and punishing that Dante had been to his ex-family.

The entire thing was the fault of Albus Dumbledore…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Returning to the Noir Palace, Dante shed his armour, dismissed Ragnarok and his brothers back to the shadows of the dungeons and, after a quick wash to get the filth of the Death Eaters off his spiritual essence, the First Rider met his family and friends in the main hall, Hermione moving to his side where she gave him a gentle kiss as she asked, "Are you all right?"

"Just fine," Dante answered, though his tone was anything but calm as he looked to his parents, "How about you two? The change was successful, I see?"

"Azkaban now answers to its true Lord," Sirius explained, his voice filled with a hint of ice as he added, "However, if you're going to take on Voldemort _and_ still act as the Horseman that you are, then you know that you can't do this alone, don't you?"

"I do," Dante answered, "But that's why I'm going back: Riddle wants a war and Dumbledore will do anything that he can to try and avoid me taking out his precious Golden Brat for good: therefore, I'll give both of them what they want. Thanks to my influence within Slytherin and the fact that Uncle Severus is the Head of House, it'll be all too easy to turn the House of apparent Evil against its worst graduate, which reminds me, we need to go soon: Draco will be waiting at Grimmauld and I promised him an answer."

"We'll deal with that in due time," Lily remarked, a part of her worried about the almost heartless state of her son, "For now, I'd like you to tell me why you used your power like that and gave Jason the vision of his Father's death. I know that's what you wanted, Dante, but surely even for you, there's a limit, isn't there?"

"Was there a limit to how he treated you when I was gone?" asked Dante hotly, his mood only calmed by the presence of his Chosen One as he continued, "Was there a limit to how quickly he cast me aside like I was nothing and, all the while, had a fling with some witch and sired a daughter?"

"Touché," Lily agreed, though she had her own sense of anger towards the fact that her former husband had a daughter with someone else, "But you shouldn't give into your dark desires so easily, Dante: remember that the meaning behind your powers is to bring an end to Voldemort and then…"

"And then," Dante continued, "I have a choice: to relinquish the power of the Horsemen or become the Devil's Angel of Death for the rest of time."

"What?"

"What else did you think we learned whilst in that Other Realm?" asked Dante, his eyes filled with a sense of rage as he asked, "Why do you think I was so insistent on things going by the playbook and making sure that Riddle wasn't successful? I don't _want_ to accept the First's offer, but with each passing day and each jibe made by that freak of nature, James Potter, I'm sorely tempted. For Death's sake, Mum, I _devoured_ the souls of the Death Eaters and summoned creatures that were better off left in nightmares and I didn't feel a thing. I made Jason scream and shit himself stupid and I _liked_ it; ever since I learned the real reason for my power, I've always known that there was going to be a price: this is it."

"What Dante is saying," Hermione explained, her words soft as she tried to calm her boyfriend, "Is that he wants to rid the world of Voldemort, but, at the same time, he doesn't want to risk everything _again_ to do so: he nearly lost you before, Lily. With the Second Coming of Voldemort, Dante wants this done quickly so he can put an end to it."

"And besides," Dante added, pointing to his Mother's stomach, "I want to make sure that my little brother or sister has a world to come to where they don't have to be so afraid all the time: and if that means giving in to the Rider inside me to do it, then that's what I'll do. Don't make me choose between my destiny and my family, Mum and Dad, because it won't work."

"Why not?" asked Sirius, slightly worried at the level of determination within his son.

"Because," answered Dante, "Every time, every outcome and every decision that I make will always be for the same reason: you."

**Chapter 12 and I apologise for the shortness, but I wanted to set things up for the big finale that is to come; so, with the truth revealed and James now a vegetable – or as close as he'll come – can Dante accomplish his destiny?**

**Also, what will be his answer to The First's deal once his path is complete?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Dumbledore and Voldemort consider the revelations that were given in Azkaban; plus, Draco becomes the first new member of the Horsemen's army and Dante had a few choice words for a certain Minister regarding where things go from here; and, to top it all off, Dante has a 'sit-down' with James and Jason and meets his half-sister;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**OC SPELL:**

_**Incendricus: **_**The Demon Fire Curse: Powerful Dark Magic that summons a torrential flame from the tip of a caster's wand; when the flame comes into contact with a surface, it eats away at the surface until there's nothing left.**


	13. Deathly Warnings

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

**Author's Warning: **I should warn anyone reading this now: characters WILL be OOC and our favourite heroes ARE going to be Dark in nature. So, to paraphrase a friend of mine: if you don't like it, then don't read it; I've officially STOPPED listening to any bad criticism; this is MY story and I'll write it how I want.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**Irmorena: Yeah, but I haven't quite decided which path he'll take just yet: you may have to wait until the very end to see that;**

**Kat callan: No, he was just sealed within an illusion of pure malice and nightmare through Dante's power as Death and Sirius and Lily's power as Lord and Lady of Azkaban;**

**StormyFireDragon: Whether or not I bring about their end or give them a chance to redeem themselves remains to be seen, Storm;**

**T4: The finale rapidly approaches, but, before that, I do have a rollercoaster-ride of amazement to give you; as they say: I'm going out with a bang;**

"_Why not?" asked Sirius, slightly worried at the level of determination within his son._

"_Because," answered Dante, "Every time, every outcome and every decision that I make will always be for the same reason: you."_

Chapter 13: Deathly Warnings

'Where did it all go so wrong?'

So wondered Albus Dumbledore as he sat down shakily in his office, his mind filled with the image of the Four Horsemen and the revelation that their leader, Death, was in fact the forgotten son of House Potter, now the Heir of House Black, Harry Potter. Even that name was wrong: he now went by Dante Black and, for Dumbledore, there wasn't anything that the old man could say or do to repair the hopes of the world with the way this boy…no, this _man_ treated his enemies.

He'd slain three Death Eaters and devoured their souls, commanded creatures from the great beyond and, from what Dumbledore had heard about the Black Prince in his first-year, he was also the Silver Prince of Slytherin. Once he returned, he'd be too far gone into the shadows to be anyone's hero: yes, he would defeat Tom, but he would not be the beacon of Light and goodness that Dumbledore had hoped to turn the Boy-Who-Lived into. And, as for Jason Potter, who was he?

The scar on his brow had been a clear sign to Dumbledore that he'd been the one struck by Voldemort's killing curse as a baby, wasn't it?

So how was it that Dante was the _actual_ Boy-Who-Lived?

Massaging his temples with his fingers, Dumbledore closed his eyes, trying to think of a way around this, his mind only coming up with empty answers as, no matter what he tried, even if it meant ostracising Jason or Dante, it would still be pointless.

Try to convince Cornelius of appointing a Ministerial member as the newest Defence Professor?

No, that was impossible: Hunter Redgrave seemed to have avoided the curse and was considered the favourite amongst each of the students and even the staff.

Invite James to the school as a Professor?

No: if Dante saw James again, especially at Hogwarts, they'd have a war on their hands and Dumbledore was sure that James wouldn't soon forget his strange hellacious experience from Azkaban.

Then what?

Maybe he needed to have a word with Dante: arrange a compromise that wouldn't threaten the students or bring about the end of the world.

It seemed like the only thing Albus Dumbledore could do at the moment was weep for the innocence lost because of his old man's blindness to the truth that had been staring him in the face ever since that first night following Halloween.

_**FourHorsemen**_

"_Crucio!_"

The Death Eater that had the misfortune to find himself on the wrong end of the Dark Lord's fury screamed with hysteria and fear as the power of the Torture Curse hit him hard. Ever since he'd _barely_ managed to slip away from the siege of Azkaban after losing so many of his loyal followers, Voldemort had been in a bad mood and, out of the new recruits, only two or three had survived their _initiation_ by surviving his fury.

How could he have been so stupid?

That pretender of a brat Potter _wasn't_ the Boy-Who-Lived?

No wonder he hadn't returned to human form when he'd come back from the edge of Death, but now, with the truth out in the open and with so many of his faithful lost to him, Voldemort didn't care for the truth: he would kill the Potter brat and then he would deal with Dante Black.

But how?

The brat had the full power of Darkness on his side and three that would be with him to the very end; plus, he now had Azkaban itself on his side _and, _beyond that, he also had a strange affinity for the Dark Arts that Tom Riddle could only dream about. Then there was the fact that the boy was beyond any attempts of conversion to his cause and just wanted to kill the Dark Lord and devour his soul: that thought actually made Voldemort shudder as he recalled the last time it had happened.

He'd been lucky to escape, but, once Death learned about his Horcruxes, it was more than likely that any chance at a Second Coming would go right out the window.

The boy had no true weakness; no 'hero-complex' and no sense of good or evil;

All that cared to him was that the Dark Lord Voldemort met his end once and for all…

And _that_ gave the Dark Lord a feeling that he had not known for the better part of half-a-century:

Fear…

_**FourHorsemen**_

The morning after the Siege of Azkaban, Dante awoke to find Hermione resting comfortably against his side, her eyes closed and a satisfied smile on her face as she wrapped an arm around his waist, her dark hair falling over her fair skin with the look of a dark angel. Brushing his Chosen One's hair aside, Dante coughed once before he whispered, "Hate to spoil your beauty sleep, love, but if we don't get up now, I won't be able to deal with my unfinished business."

"I'm ready whenever you are, Dante," Hermione replied, sleepily opening her eyes as she explained, "I was awake…but enjoying the feeling of being so close to you."

"I love you too," Dante whispered, placing a gentle kiss against her lips before he let his hands wander over her body, earning a laugh from Hermione as he tickled her in sensitive areas, both of them sharing a moment of happiness before Dante rose from the bed, moving to the wardrobe where he changed into a set of clothes for the day ahead. Once he was dressed, Dante emerged from the wardrobe and, glancing to her, he asked, "What's on your mind, Mione? I can sense your hesitations all the way from here."

"I was…I guess I was just thinking about…where things go from here," Hermione explained, though she also began to dress as she addressed her lover, "Now that they know the truth about you, who says that Dumbledore and Potter will keep their noses out of this?"

"I say so," Dante replied, moving to the bed and, sitting down, he helped Hermione get ready for the day while, like any boyfriend, stealing a kiss against her skin before he told her, "James is too frightened by now to realise that I'm beyond redemption in his eyes: if he tries anything else that could disrupt our future, I'll just have to deal with him. As for Dumbledore, the senile old fool no doubt realises by now that his little prophecy was nothing more than words concocted by a fraudulent witch while his hero is a glory hound with no real talent save for running to Daddy."

"And all the while," Hermione sighed, slipping on a sleeveless top before she leaned into her boyfriend's touch, "The real hero has been shunned and abandoned and turned into the anti-hero of magic: but speaking of…of revelations, how do you think your parents have handled your secret about the First's offer?"

"They're scared," Dante answered, rising from the bed as he moved to the window of the mansion where he'd made his home, "They don't want to lose me and Mum doesn't want to give my new sibling a life as an only child. That's why I want to make sure that we deal with Riddle and his ilk as soon as possible. With help from our allies in Slytherin and my parents' newfound abilities, I may be able to handle that before the year is out, but I remember what Muggles say about counting chickens…so I'm not all that hopeful about it."

Hermione watched from the bed as the morning sun shone on her lover's body, his calm eyes glowing in the light of the morning sun as he looked out of the window. Their time and training in the Other Realm had changed Dante in more ways than anyone could ever realise and, ever since the First had revealed the existence of Dante and Hermione's bond through Fate, she had hoped that he would find a way to share his pains and dilemmas.

However, if such a thing was possible, Dante seemed to have become more closed in than ever, his words like the ice that he so easily commanded, his tone filled with a sense of dread that wouldn't be welcoming enough for the creepiest of graveyards.

Truly, Dante Black was becoming Death more and more with each passing day.

"So," Hermione piped up, watching as Dante seemed content to just watch the day pass him by, "What time are you going to meet with Draco? He deserves to know the full story and the reason that he and Narcissa have had to abandon their home."

"I know," Dante remarked, his voice calm as he explained, "With Bellatrix and Rabastan standing with Riddle, he'll be frightened that Lucius will try and add him to Voldemort's ranks, especially now that the so-called Dark Lord has lost so many of his members in the Siege of Azkaban. I'm going to see him straight away and I may be some time, but, in the meantime, I'd like you to keep an eye on Mum and Dad: I'm worried that their spike in power may have…unforeseen consequences."

"I'll tell Taren and Luna to help as well," Hermione noted, before she gasped as Dante cut off any further words by vanishing in a flurry of shadows, the sun now shining clear on the bedroom where Hermione watched her world leave.

'It's always darkest before the dawn.'

_**FourHorsemen**_

Draco Malfoy sat alone in the lounge of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, his Mother, Narcissa Malfoy, currently lying alone in a bedroom a few floors up, the eyes of the Malfoy Heir watching and waiting for a sign of the explanation promised to him by his cousin, Dante Black. Ever since receiving Dante's letter, Draco had felt marginally concerned towards the reason for his cousin's distress and, when word had reached him that a change had come to the Black Family, Draco had known full well that things were about to change in the wizarding world.

There was a storm coming…and Draco knew that they needed to be prepared for when it arrived.

Suddenly, Draco gasped as the spot in front of his chair seemed to ripple and, from within the darkness, Dante emerged, but, for a moment, Draco didn't recognise his cousin: he was taller, he was fitter and he held a colder look that was more dangerous than any other person's glare that Draco had known. Dressed in a black jacket and blue jeans with his eyes filled with that same apathetic judgment for anyone that stood with him, Dante actually seemed to be assessing the situation.

"Wow," Draco whispered, rising from his seat before he laughed, "Dante…time has been kind to you: how are…"

"Arm."

The word came so suddenly that Draco was actually surprised by the sense of hostility in his cousin's tone, "What?"

"Your arm," Dante explained, his voice laced with a compulsive command, "Show it to me."

Realising what he wanted to see, Draco quickly obliged: rolling up both of his sleeves, the Malfoy Heir showed bare arms to Dante, who sighed in relief before he turned and, approaching the wall of the lounge, he placed a hand against the image of Lucius Malfoy as well as Bellatrix Lestrange and Rabastan and Rodolphus. For a long moment, nothing was said, but, as suddenly as Dante had moved, there was a piercing scream and the spots on the Black Family Tree were burned off, their branches being severed from the main body.

At the same time, Dante seemed to repair the image of his Father as well as a family with the surname of Tonks, whom he'd noticed amongst Dumbledore's Order of the Fiery Chicken while in Azkaban. With his work done, Dante stepped back and, turning to Draco, he nodded once as he explained, "There: you and your Mother are now free of Lucius: he can't touch you, he can't hurt you and he can't force you to side with Riddle. If you even _think_ of doing otherwise, Draco, you shall become my prey and, believe me, you don't want that."

"What do you mean by prey, Dante?" asked Draco, shuddering slightly with the feel of the Family Magic passing through his body.

"There's something you need to know about me," Dante explained, "As well as Hermione, Taren and Luna as well: you see, there's a reason for our absence and, if I'm to trust you with the full story, I need to know now: in the weeks to come, I will be going up against Voldemort, which means I'll be facing your Father. So, in light of those events coming to pass, Draco, I need to know: do you stand with the Family or will you defect to your Father and his half-dead corpse of a Lord?"

"Dante…" Draco gasped, awed and slightly intimidated by the abruptness of the question: this wasn't the Dante that he remembered from their first-year: all right, he was as cold as when they'd first met, but this…this was something else.

"It's a simple question, Draco," Dante remarked, his words stinging like icy needles with each word, "Are you with me or against me?"

"A simple one, yes," Draco agreed, his eyes narrowed as he faced his cousin, "But not really a stupid one either: I mean you've just disowned my Father and the Lestranges from the Black Family without a single glance; you warned me that something was going to happen and now that I see you, I don't really know what to say to that. I don't have the Dark Mark and, contrary to what the students of Hogwarts will tell you, I don't want it either. So, if that situation that you speak of came about, my alliance would be with you, Dante, and not my Father."

"Would you be willing to swear an Unbreakable to that effect?"

"I would," Draco replied calmly, knowing the consequences of going against an Unbreakable Vow, "If my soul is the price that I must pay to know the full story and stay with my true family, then so be it."

There was silence between the two young teens, the only sound coming from the ticking of a nearby clock, before, to Draco's amazement, Dante actually started chuckling, then laughing and finally, he shook his head while he wiped a stray tear from his eye, still laughing about something that Draco hadn't quite caught onto yet.

"I'd expect nothing different from you," Dante explained, almost as though he'd read Draco's mind, "And I'm glad that you still honour the brotherhood between us: I know that you've kept up my reign over Slytherin in my absence and, for that, I thank you. Now, though, it's time for me to come back and, before I do that, I need to build my own forces: of which you, Draco, are the first…and the highest ranking of the warriors. This force will not be like Voldemort or as inept as Dumbledore's, but it will help me bring an end to the Dark Fraud once and for all: now, I believe you're still curious about the truth?"

"Yes," Draco nodded, returning to his seat while Dante moved to another seat nearby.

"Then I'll tell you," Dante explained, "And afterwards, you can tell Aunt Narcissa about this: she'll be as safe as the rest of them when it's all said and done, but remember, Draco, you won't be able to get out of this: are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Then here it is," Dante explained, lifting his hand and, in a flurry of shadows, he summoned his scythe from the shadows, the sight of the ancient, powerful weapon drawing Draco's attention as Dante held it in one hand, the other hand apparently reaching into the shadows. When it was removed, the second hand was stroking what looked like a skeletal horse with fiery additions, the horse mounted with reins and a saddle that seemed to be made from steel and silver, its eyes fixed on Draco as he watched in awe.

"What…what is it?" he asked, awed and actually confounded by the sight of the creature.

"It…or should that be He," Dante answered, stroking the steed fondly, "Is one of four majestic creatures known as Shadowmares: the steeds of four ancient creatures otherwise known as the Four Horsemen: War, Famine, Conquest and, finally, me: Death."

"The…the Horsemen?" Gasped Draco, his eyes wide as he looked to the Shadowmare, "As in…the Apocalypse Bringers? The Harbingers of Destruction? The first signs of…"

"The End of the World…normally, yes," Dante finished, before he laughed as he turned to address Draco only to find that his cousin had fainted from the shock and fear of Dante's true self.

'_Be honest,_' Ragnarok laughed, nuzzling the palm of his Rider as he asked, '_You were expecting him to do that, weren't you, Lord Death?_'

"It wasn't…unexpected, let's put it that way," Dante answered, settling down next to Ragnarok as he added, "By the way: thanks for all your help on Azkaban: I definitely think that it's safe to say we sent a message to the world about crossing the wrong sort of evil in the world."

'_What about those that remain?_' asked Ragnarok, his fiery eyes on Dante as he spoke, '_The ones that command this world: they will judge you and think you evil; what about the one who made your life an Earthen version of Hell?_'

"I've been to Hell, Ragnarok," Dante explained, his voice filled with power, "And when I return there, I'll take any who've chosen to make themselves my enemies with me: as for the ones that command this world, the Ministry, I think I need to have a little talk with them."

'_Do you need the others?_'

"Not really," Dante answered, his eyes shining as he waited for Draco to recover from his shock, "I think this one needs a more…personal touch."

_**FourHorsemen**_

It was late into the evening when Dante put his plan into action: using his control over the shadows, he waited for the moment where his target would be alone, vulnerable and prone to suggestion and extraction of information. As the lights around the office of the Minister fell into shadow, Dante reached out and, seeing Cornelius Fudge looking over some new pieces of information, he darkened the office as well, forcing the Minister to raise his head.

"Don't move, Mr Fudge," Dante hissed, his voice distorted by his Horseman's Armour, "You'd be dead before you managed to summon out your protectors: just sit there."

"Who…who's there?" asked Fudge, forgetting that his office was in darkness as he looked around for the speaker, "Who dares…attack the Minister like…like this?"

"I don't come here to attack you," Dante explained, his voice filled with amusement and determination, "I come here to help you bring about the rebirth of your community and to ensure that the future of all witches and wizards is assured. Now, you're going to listen and, if you do anything to stop this, I won't hesitate to kill you: am I clear?"

"Y-Yes," Fudge stammered, his eyes wide as he felt a sharp point press into his heart.

"Now," Dante asked, "Can you give me the names of anyone that would be your choice for someone that could keep the peace following Lord Voldemort's return?"

"A-A-Amelia B-B-B-Bones," stammered Fudge, a feeling of dread welling up inside him as he added, "But I've b-b-b-been allowing J-J-James Potter to k-k-keep the peace on h-h-his end as w-w-well with help from D-D-D-Dolores Umbridge."

"I see," Dante whispered, knowing that he was already one-third of the way to getting either the help he needed or ensuring the future of the world with a necessary end to those who would halt it, "And, out of those three, who would you trust most to keep the peace?"

"Dolores," Fudge explained, "She's in charge of my personal protection and m-m-making sure that w-w-war mongering rumours are s-s-s-silenced."

"And yet she does not silence Lord Potter…why?"

"His son is the Boy…eek!"

Fudge gasped suddenly as the sharp object that was pressed into his chest suddenly seemed to penetrate his skin and yet it didn't spill his blood: instead, Dante felt a soft chuckle roll off his tongue as he mused, "Of course…he _never_ told you, did he? No, he wouldn't tell the one that stands between him and victory the truth about his legacy: besides, he _wants_ what you have, Fudge and what's the best way to get it? Make you lose your mind and your faith in the wizarding world."

"How…how do you know…this?" gasped Fudge, the pain from his chest intensifying as he felt a deep hollow feeling well up inside him, the hollowness inside him being replaced by an intense cold that seemed to freeze the Minister in place.

"I am the one who knows the soul's deepest secrets," Dante explained, finally deciding to let the Minister know of the inhuman force watching him, "And I know those of James Potter _and_ your other anonymous benefactor, Lucius Malfoy: now, you're going to help me, Fudge, because I don't want James to be victorious, but neither do I desire the end of this world. Are you listening to me, Mr Minister of Magic?"

"Y-Y-Yes…"

"Good," Dante growled, waving his right hand and conjuring a parchment, which he set down on the desk in front of Fudge, his dark command bringing a small amount of light back to the office as he let Fudge see the parchment. "In front of you is a list: on that list are a selection of names that have all been recognised as Death Eaters or associates and resources of Lord Voldemort. From the moment I let you go, you will make it your mission to hunt these people down and give them the justice they deserve for lying, torturing, family line ending, raping and murdering that they've done. Do this, Fudge, and you may yet avoid Final Judgment, but do nothing and I will have your soul served to me on a platter: and trust me, if you think Voldemort's scary, then you haven't seen anything yet. Now, do you understand this task?"

"I…I understand," Fudge replied, though his hand was currently gripping his wand in his hand: no-one crossed the Minister or threatened some of his most glorified benefactors.

"No…you don't," Dante growled and, the next thing that Fudge knew, he saw one end of a silvery blade pass through his heart before there was a sickening slurp and a gulp, followed by silence.

Dante, meanwhile, returned the light to the office before he checked the list himself and, with a sigh, admitted defeat; "Ah well…I guess that leaves one choice."

Leaving the office, shedding his Armour at the same time, Dante made his way to the office of the Head of the DMLE and, knocking on the door, he entered to find his target watching him with eyes of wonder and suspicion. Lifting his hands, Dante introduced himself, "Good evening, Madam Amelia Bones: Dante Scorpio Black, Heir to House Black, at your service."

"What can I do for you, Master Black?" asked Amelia, watching as the Black Heir locked her office and darkened the lights to an ominous glow, before he turned to face her, his eyes filled with a sense of raw power as he answered her;

"I have…a proposition for you…that may yet save our world."

**Chapter 13 and Dante seems to be putting a big plan into action, but what will the final outcome be?**

**Plus, with the Ministry taken care of, what will happen to a certain Lord and the Wrong Boy Who Lived?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Dante has a 'sit-down' with James and Jason and meets his half-sister; plus, before the gang go back to Hogwarts, the battle is brought to Dante as Voldemort makes his move…but Death is not without his own plans;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: We are approaching the end of Four Horsemen and I just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that's stayed with me through to the end: I hope you're all enjoying my stories and, as you can see, there are some that I'm just not ready to give up on yet;**


	14. Truce and Consequences

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

**Author's Warning: **I should warn anyone reading this now: characters WILL be OOC and our favourite heroes ARE going to be Dark in nature. So, to paraphrase a friend of mine: if you don't like it, then don't read it; I've officially STOPPED listening to any bad criticism; this is MY story and I'll write it how I want.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**BikerSHAM: Then I guess the path to the end of the story is PURE evil;**

**StormyFireDragon: Stopping problems, Storm, or preparing for something else?**

**Kat callan: All will be revealed towards the end of the story;**

**WhiteElfElder: This chapter may agree with that statement, so please enjoy;**

**T4: It's not really a big meeting, but I plan on going out with a real big bang;**

"_What can I do for you, Master Black?" asked Amelia, watching as the Black Heir locked her office and darkened the lights to an ominous glow, before he turned to face her, his eyes filled with a sense of raw power as he answered her;_

"_I have…a proposition for you…that may yet save our world."_

Chapter 14: Truce and Consequences

Taking care of business with Amelia Bones was fairly simple: for Dante, the task at hand was to make sure that the Ministry kept their eyes away from the Black Family and their business and, by also putting her under a witch's oath, Dante was able to reveal his identity as one of the Four Horsemen and ensure his secrets were kept.

At the end of the meeting, Dante had gathered his senses and, facing Amelia, explained to her, "As long as the Ministry, its Aurors and even its Unspeakables keep away from my kin and me, they will be safe. I have business to deal with here that could change everything: your now-former Minister chose the wrong path and for that, his soul became mine. _Pray _that you don't make the same mistake, Madam Bones."

Amelia said nothing as she watched Dante drift away through the shadows, the Horseman reappearing within the main hall of Grimmauld Place where he found his Father waiting for him, a folded parchment in his hand. Narrowing his eyes, Dante asked, "What is it, Dad?"

"James and Albus would like a meeting," Sirius explained, his voice calm as he continued, "To talk about plans for battling Riddle and ensuring the safety of this world: Albus would also like to use Grimmauld as the new base for the Order of the Phoenix and…"

"I'll agree to the meeting," Dante explained, cutting off Sirius mid-sentence, "But as for anyone using this place for Headquarters, the senile old fool must think I was born yesterday: he just wants to get his pawns in here and snoop on Luna, Taren, Hermione and I. That's something I'm not going to allow: besides, Draco and Narcissa are here as well as Mum and Severus; if Dumbledore's little game-pieces don't try and bring World War Three down on the Slytherins in here, then I'm a wood nymph."

"So what do you want me to say?" asked Sirius, a little amused at Dante's reasoning and the last comment, though he was also a little suspicious as to what the old man and his forces actually wanted with such a place like Grimmauld.

"Tell Dumbledore that the meeting will be held in a neutral place," Dante instructed, his voice filled with strength as he addressed the matter, "Severus' place in Spinner's End should be fine enough: Ragnarok, Damien, Alucard and Delilah will be there with us and we _will_ be in full Horseman attire. James and Jasie are also welcome to this little parley, but _they_ come unarmed as I don't trust Fraud Potter around Mum and my new sibling; any treachery, and tell them these words exactly, but any treachery and I'll have Taren poison the pretender before I finish the job I started in Azkaban."

"I'll pass on the message," Sirius remarked, leaving his son to gather his thoughts as Dante went upstairs, his eyes filled with a sense of anxiety mixed with a feeling of dark foreboding as he considered what was about to happen.

He didn't trust Jason Potter to come unarmed, but neither did he suspect that James would risk his soul now that he realised the level of power that was held by the _true_ Boy-Who-Lived…

_**FourHorsemen**_

_Two Weeks Later…_

Spinner's End was a rather quaint little place and, when the Horsemen moved through the shadows and found themselves in the house, Dante took charge of the situation as he faced the four Shadowmares, "Right, while the meeting takes place, you're to remain in the shadow realm: any sign of trouble and you emerge."

'_And what of you, Lord Death?_' asked Ragnarok, watching as Dante unsheathed his scythe while Taren withdrew his bow and quiver of diseased arrows from Alucard's side, Luna keeping her wand, the Elder Wand as they'd learned in the other world, in a holster and finally, for emphasis, Hermione summoned what appeared to be shadowed gargoyles to watch over the room, her power flowing through them.

"We keep this simple and as civil as possible," Dante explained, darkening the room with his power as he added, "But I'm no fool: James and Jason will be here and if they've actually listened to me, then I guess it'll go smoothly, but that's why I'm not a gambling man."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door to the house and, next to Taren, Dante watched as Severus left the room, the sound of the door opening coming from the passageway and, as he returned, Severus was escorted by Dumbledore, a shaken James Potter, a rather vengeful-looking Jason Potter and a young-looking pair of women that drew Dante's attention almost immediately. One was a young woman with beech-coloured hair and dark grey eyes that seemed to resemble the mists of the sea; she was dressed in a set of Gryffindor-red robes and held a ring on her finger marking her as Lady of the House of Potter.

With her was a younger girl that looked around ten or eleven, her face showing no real emotion as she laid her eyes, which were a colour of jade-green in contrast to James and Jason and the other woman, on Dante for the first time. Her hair was as black as James' with a few white highlights along her fringe. The girl was dressed in a knee-length summer dress that was deep blue in colour, a necklace tied around her neck that held a symbol of a lion.

"Check them," Dante commanded, not taking any chances; one summoning charm later and Severus handed him a wand that had come from Dumbledore and him alone. Slipping the wand into his pocket, Dante then commanded, "Sit: and don't bother speaking, Jason, or it'll be the last mistake you make."

"Now see here," the woman insisted, but she was silenced by Dante's scythe pointed in her direction.

"You must be the bastard's new fling," Dante observed, indicating the shadows where Albus and James then noticed Sirius and Lily both watching them, the eyes of the Lady of Azkaban filled with rage as she saw the woman with her ex. "But I'm afraid that, despite my usually-noble demeanour, in here you have no voice, no arguments. My quarrel is with your husband and your thick-headed spawn of a stepson: don't _make_ me target you as well, Mrs…"

"Elizabeth Kincaid," the woman answered, her voice suggesting a Californian birth to Dante: so, James had gone across the pond to find his new woman? Showing off was just his style.

"And this," Dante added, addressing the girl whose eyes almost matched his own, "Must be Kassandra…sorry, I guess you prefer Kassie, don't you? Yes, I've heard a lot about you: Dante Scorpio Black, at your humble service."

"It…it's a pleasure, Mr Black," Kassie replied, her voice holding no sign of spoiled behaviour or Daddy's-girl upbringing: then again, given she'd been hidden from the world for so long, it wasn't surprising. As she shook Dante's hand, Kassie then asked, "Are…I mean, is it true that you're…"

"Your step-brother," Dante remarked, shaking his head as he told her, "I actually wish that it were true, but sadly, my place in the Potter Household is dead and buried: now, there's only Dante Black…but I do consider it a pleasure to meet you, Kassie. Please, if you'd be so kind as to take your seats, we can get this meeting underway."

As the guests of the Horsemen obliged, Dante keeping close to his parents as they all sat down, the Horseman of Death's head rose up as Dumbledore asked, "If I may be so bold, Dante: why is it that we are unarmed and yet you and your…kinsmen are armed to the teeth?"

"Because I don't trust someone who abandoned me and treated me like a criminal until he saw fit to get rid of me as far as I can throw him," Dante answered, his voice laced with coldness as he added, "And don't even think of trying that _second chance_ card or the _everyone deserves forgiveness_ plot, Dumbledore: the 60s are over. I _don't_ give peace a chance and I couldn't give a shit about what you think is for the Greater Good: now, tell me and make it quick: what do you want?"

Dumbledore actually seemed to deflate as he sank into his chair, his eyes watching the room and the shadows in case of any surprises courtesy of the Horsemen as he addressed the matter, "Dante: when we met in Azkaban, you were…different than the young man I remember coming into Hogwarts four years ago, but, the point of this is that we both have a common enemy: Voldemort."

"So you think that means the enemy of your enemy, namely _me_, is your friend, old man?" asked Dante, looking to James and Jason, both of whom seemed more intimidated by the darkness around them. "You think that just because Voldemort is in my crosshairs means that I want to join your little Scooby Gang and play Happy Families? Sorry, but that's not going to happen: I'm going to find Tom Marvolo Riddle, I'm going to kill him, rip his flesh from his bones and then, for added emphasis, I'm going to devour his soul."

"Ah," Dumbledore remarked, as though he'd caught a second wind, "But did you know that Voldemort actually created more than one way to keep his soul chained to the mortal realm?"

"You mean Horcruxes?" asked Hermione, speaking for the first time, "Yes, Dumbledore, we knew of them: and we've destroyed them…all of them."

"Including the one inside Dante?"

The scythe from Death moved just as quick as Taren unsheathing one of his arrows, the speckled head of the arrow pointing at Dumbledore as Dante asked, "I…beg your pardon?"

"That's how you survived that night," Dumbledore explained, "Lord Voldemort ripped a part of his soul away when he tried to kill you and Jason: the magic from that curse combined with…with Lily's desire to protect you both split Voldemort's soul and placed a Horcrux inside you."

"Is that true?" asked Taren, glancing not to Dante, but to Lily, who suddenly held a look of darkness in her glare, a darkness that was shared by Dante as he smiled coldly.

"There's one way to find out," he answered, lifting his hand and, from the shadows behind him, Ragnarok appeared, the sight of the Shadowmare making James shiver while Kassie actually appeared to be in awe of the creature. Looking over his shoulder at his faithful steed, Dante asked, "Ragnarok: is there a portion of Lord Voldemort's soul within me?"

'_No, Lord Death,_' Ragnarok answered, his voice filled with strength as he explained, '_Because of our bond, I can sense your soul wavelength; I always have and I always can: the only souls that are…out of place in here are yours and Lady War's, but that is because of the soul bond that unites you as Horsemen and Chosen Ones._'

"Thank you, Ragnarok," Dante smiled, petting his stallion as he faced Dumbledore, his smile now edged by victory as he asked, "You were saying?"

"But…that night," Dumbledore gasped, looking to Jason as he realised that Dante's words meant that the Horcrux wasn't inside Jason Potter either, "How…where…what happened? Tell me: both of you _now!_"

"You don't command me, Dumbledore," laughed Dante, before he lifted his hand as he added, "However, to answer your question, let me fill in a blank for you: nearly seven years ago now, I bonded with my scythe and the power of Ragnarok and Death: when that happened, my soul was offered to the First and given to darkness…darkness spawned by _him,_" he added, pointing to James with his scythe, "And his lack of familial love for a less-important son. I guess, in my darkness, _if_ there was a Horcrux, it was taken by the First and devoured in place of my soul, ergo why I remained somewhat human and became the leader that I am today."

"Some human," scoffed Jason, his words being cut off by Luna pointing her wand at his throat.

"I believe I told you to be silent, Jasie," Dante remarked, facing Dumbledore once more as he explained, "Tom Riddle is like the rest of you, old man: mortal and weak…which is how and why he was so easily sent running like a scalded dog on Azkaban. Now, I _know_ you want me here so that you can try to trap me in your little web of lies and deceit, but I'm here to tell you that it won't work: as I said, I _will_ kill Voldemort, but not before I finish what I started and make him sorry he ever came back. As for you and your little Scooby Gang, they are _not_ welcome at my home and they never will be: admit it, old man, you made the wrong choice and now, for the rest of time, you will regret it…just like you did with Gellert and Arianna."

"How do you know about that?" asked Dumbledore, earning a cold chuckle from Dante as he returned light to the room, giving back a shred of comfort to his guests.

"You'd be surprised what I know," Dante chuckled, facing James and Jason as he added, "And, for the record, when I was first abandoned by you at Wool's Orphanage, which is the same place that started Tom Riddle down the path to becoming Voldemort, I felt a small modicum of forgiveness for you. But when you disowned me without even alerting me or the proper authorities, all I wanted was to make you both suffer: so, as a last boon from me, I hope you'll take this warning to heart."

With the speed that he had gained from training in the other world, Dante moved around the back of James and Jason and pressed his hands against both of their throats, freezing their blood and marking them with his own personal symbol of _deathly_ origin.

Removing his hand, Dante whispered to them both, "Fight with me when the time comes…or get the hell out of my way, because if you stand between me and Riddle, I'll have his soul for the appetiser and you two for dessert, am I clear?"

"Y-Yes…Lord Death," James whispered, his eyes wide as he then saw Lily in full view, including the bump on her stomach; meeting her eyes, James whispered, "L-L-Lily-f-f-flower?"

"Nice try, James," Lily whispered, her voice as cold as ice as she watched her son return to her side, "But Dante removed that curse when he bonded me to Sirius: oh, and since you noticed, yes, I'm going to give Dante a little brother and he won't abandon his big brother like Jason did."

"Brother huh?" asked Dante, smiling to himself as he added, "I think this meeting is over: leave…before I decide to have a little snack: oh, and Kassie?"

"Erm…yes, Lord Death?" asked Kassie, meeting the eyes of her ex-half-brother, seeing coldness in them that she'd never really hoped to see.

"See you at Hogwarts…and please…call me Dante."

_**FourHorsemen**_

When Dumbledore left with the Potters in tow, Dante turned to his Mother before he allowed himself a moment of happiness as he asked, "When did you find out what he was going to be?"

"Last week," Lily explained, her hands resting on her stomach as she looked to her son, "While you were busy with Amelia and the Ministry, Sirius called an old friend from St Mungo's and had him look me over; the ritual that made us one with Azkaban hasn't affected him or his health, but he did tell us that the baby was going to be a boy."

"That's great," Taren beamed, looking to his honorary brother as he added, "Now you have something else to fight for, Dante: it's like you said, everything you do, you do it for your parents, don't you?"

"Yes," Dante answered, his voice as cold as ever as he moved towards a wall in the living room, his eyes looking upon the date of September First as though it was the real Judgment Day, "And that will never change…never…"

"Dante," Hermione whispered, watching as Dante looked to the date, then, without warning, he turned to face them.

"Mum…"

"Yes Dante?" asked Lily, not liking the haunting tone in her son's voice.

"If…if anything happens…to me," he whispered, his words surprising each of the members of the room, "Can…can you promise me something?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Lily, looking past her son to the date on the calendar, "Nothing's going to happen to you…"

"But _if_ something does," Dante told her, his voice as firm as ever, "And…if I make the wrong choice…will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"Take care of him," Dante told her, his words filled with strength and purpose, "Don't turn your back on him because of me: love him, cherish him and try to give him a sibling if you can…but please don't do what James did."

"We won't," Sirius promised, his voice filled with strength as he watched Dante approach and, placing his hand on his Mother's stomach, he looked back to their eyes.

"And…one more thing."

"What?"

"His name," Dante told her, his voice filled with strength as he added, "I…I had it in mind ever since…ever since I learned you were pregnant…so, would you give him this name?"

"Which one?" Asked Lily, tears in her eyes as she actually felt like Dante was trying to say more than he was allowed to.

"Michael."

_**FourHorsemen**_

"You _must_ be possessed by demons, Dante Black…to think that in front of them."

"I guess I must be," Dante agreed as he looked out of the window of the Hogwarts Express: it was finally September First and, as he listened to Hermione chastise him, he told her, "By the way, just so you know, you have to remember what the First said to me, don't you? About how my end would come?"

"Is _that_ what this is about?" asked Taren, watching as Dante looked to the rain that fell outside, "Dante: he said that you would fall in battle, but why do you think that…"

"Because Riddle is the only battle that I have left to fight," Dante explained, rising from his seat as he added, "And it's one that I have to face alone: so here and now, I want to say…thank you: each of you…for standing with me and putting up with my darker nature."

"Dante…" Hermione whispered, her eyes on her Chosen One while Taren rose from his seat, moving to embrace his partner in fate as he nodded and patted Dante on the back.

"I wouldn't change a single moment of it, Dante," Taren explained, his voice calm as he told the Rider, "Not one…"

"Thanks," Dante whispered, before he looked to each of them in turn and, drawing his scythe, he added, "And forgive me…"

"For wh…ack!" Hermione was cut off as Dante drew his scythe into each of their seals, each of them wincing in pain as their seals were absorbed by the scythe, the Rider of Death appearing to grow darker and stronger as he stepped between them, stopping momentarily to turn and, bending down, he placed a kiss against Hermione's lips, his eyes on her as they blacked out.

"I won't risk you," he whispered, just as a loud explosion rocked the train and, with resignation and strength in his wake, Dante rose up, turned to face the outside of the train and, slipping through the shadows, he stood on top of the train, his eyes on the skies as he saw the Dark Mark overhead. "I wondered when you'd make your move."

Lord Voldemort, appearing to glide on a cloud of shadows, settled down in front of Dante, his face twisted into a cold smile as he laughed, "How noble you are, Dante Black: I never suspected your true identity and yet you come to face me…how heroic…and how Gryffindor."

"I'm no Gryffindor," Dante remarked, his voice filled with new strength as he held up the scythe, "I'm just the one that's going to end you, Tom Riddle: your Horcruxes are gone and your forces are scattered: I don't know what you thought you'd achieve in attacking today, but it ends here."

"How true," Tom laughed, his eyes filled with malicious intent as he lifted his wand and commanded, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

This time, Dante slashed the scythe clean through the curse, his blade and his body both absorbing the power of the curse, Dante's black eyes now glowing with the fires of the hell beneath them as he hissed, "You'll have to try harder than that, Riddle: Death is not so easily vanquished."

"But your stupid friends _are,_" Tom laughed, moving towards the window beneath Dante; however, before he got close, Dante grabbed Tom's body and dragged him through the shadows, away from the Hogwarts Express and into a realm of darkness where the only light came from the flames that burned around the spot where Dante stood opposite Tom.

"Where are we?" Demanded Riddle, turning each way while Dante stood tall and proud opposite him.

"The world of the Horsemen," Dante explained, snapping his fingers and bringing full light to the realm, revealing the wall made up of human souls and the chasm of endless hell, fire and brimstone, "_MY _world, Tom Riddle: no Horsemen, no Dumbledore, no escape save for the end of it all."

"You really _are_ a fool," Tom laughed, firing off another Killing Curse, but this time Dante let the attack hit him, his body appearing to devour the spell and the magic behind it.

"I'm not a fool," he sneered, "I am Death; I am the End…_your_ End and here and now, it will be your end."

Banishing his scythe, Dante lifted his head, his eyes glowing with the fires of the Horsemen's realm as he laughed and challenged Tom directly:

"So come on, Tom: let's finish this the way that we started it: _TOGETHER!_"

Then, to the shock and disbelief of the Dark Lord, Death began to transform…

**Chapter 14 and Dante seems to be going after Tom alone, but why did he become so suicidal and why did he take the power from the others?**

**Also, what will his departure do to the real world and can the now-powerless Horsemen find a way to save him from an apparently inevitable fate?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out…**

**Next Chapter: Flashbacks to why Dante is challenging Tom on his own and how this event came around; plus, enemies become allies as the others try to find a way to rescue Dante and James and Lily have a talk about their children and Dante's apparent sacrifice…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: Horsemen is **_**nearly**_** over – MAYBE EVEN IN ONE CHAPTER – and then it's done: I know this chapter may not make sense, but as I said, it'll all be explained in the next chapter: just be kind enough to remember that this is my story and I write it my way…**

**AN 2: I'm sorry if anyone thinks the last line of Dante's speech is a little cliché, but it's my favourite line from Harry in the movie and I've been wanting to use it in a story for SO long!**


	15. Judgment Day

Harry Potter and the Four Horsemen

**Disclaimer: **As Before

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this story to ADVPhoenix for creating the challenge and to everyone that stays with me throughout everything I do. My recommended read for this story is _Midnight Sun_ and its sequel _Darkest Night, Shadowed Dawn_ by Herald-MageAnduli, which is an amazing pair of stories featuring the topic of this story: Wrong BWL.

Dante/Hermione

Taren/Luna

Lily/Sirius

Normal Speech

'Thought'

'_Mind Link_'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Responses:**

**I'm not going to respond to reviews, just thank EVERYBODY that's kept this going: a big thanks to the likes of T-TrainorTurkeyT, Winged Seer Wolf, StormyFireDragon, ultima-owner, ArchangelGundam and everybody else that has followed Four Horsemen to the very end: you guys are the best!**

"_So come on, Tom: let's finish this the way that we started it: TOGETHER!"_

_Then, to the shock and disbelief of the Dark Lord, Death began to transform…_

Chapter 15: Judgment Day

When the Hogwarts Express reached Hogsmeade Station, the now ex-Horsemen felt a little drained and slightly dizzy, their resolve and their combined strengths being the only things keeping them on their feet as they sluggishly moved towards the carriages where Hermione, Taren and Luna noticed the Thestrals pulling the carriages. Though they were technically no longer Horsemen, they had still seen their fair share of death and, for that, the creatures of hellacious beauty and dark omens were visible to the Slytherin team.

Reaching the school, Luna shared a glance with Taren, who nodded in understanding as he withdrew his cloak – the only remnants of their powers being the items they'd been sent in the beginning – and, once they were clear of the other students, the trio disappeared under the cloak, making their way up to the Defence classroom where, as they'd hoped, they found Hunter Redgrave sat behind his desk, his katana lying flat across the desk in front of him.

Locking the door, Taren removed his cloak, though Hunter wasn't surprised as he merely glanced to the trio and, with a sigh, he spoke with an almost defeated tone, "So he did it after all? I was afraid of this."

"Hunter," Hermione asked, her voice laced with a mix of fury and suspicion as she faced their teacher and ally, "What's happened? Why did Dante drain our power as the Horsemen? _Why_ did he drain them?"

"Calm yourself, my Lady," Hunter remarked, his cool eyes on them as he explained the situation, "You need not worry as all tasks at hand have been fulfilled: Lord Death is now at the zenith of his power and ready to face his destiny."

"Destiny?" asked Luna, her eyes wide as she drew her wand, pointing it at Hunter, "What destiny? Even _I _didn't see this coming: Dante just…just upped and left and then Voldemort attacks and they vanish…what happened?"

"Where is he, Redgrave?" growled Taren, pointing his own wand at Hunter, "We may not be the Horsemen any longer, but that doesn't mean that we don't know how to punish those that stand in our way: so start talking. Where is Dante and why in the name of the Seven Circles did he drain our powers?"

"To face Voldemort," Hunter explained, his voice still calm as he added, "And accomplish the fate that was chosen for him the day he made his choice to hunt down Voldemort's soul and devour it."

"What fate?" asked Hermione, almost somewhere between crying and screaming as she faced Hunter, "You can't mean the First's offer! Dante was deciding that and said that he didn't want it, but…"

"But he has no choice," Hunter explained, now rising from his seat, his katana being tied to his back as he moved around the desk and, standing before the trio, he added, "He never did: though he did not know this until recently, Lord Death had made his choice the day that he did what all that have come before him did: he _targeted_ a particular soul."

"Tom Riddle's," Taren remarked, earning a nod from Hunter as the man seemed to remain unnaturally calm against the power that stood before him. "So what? We've always stood together in this: we trained together; we bled together and we worked together: why would Dante turn his back on that to defeat Riddle?"

"Because he has no other choice," Hunter explained, drawing his own wand before he pointed towards the side, a silent summoning spell revealing what looked like a basin engraved with runes that marked great levels of magical potential, "But if you desire the full story, then look in here."

"A Pensieve?" asked Hermione, keeping her own wand trained on Hunter, "Why?"

"Because this will explain everything better than I can," Hunter replied, drawing the memory from inside his head and, placing it into the Pensieve, he looked to each of the Horsemen as he told them, "But no matter what you see in here, you cannot defy Fate: it is the one power that even the Four Horsemen cannot overcome."

He fell silent after that, though the ex-Horsemen seemed to be caught between confusion and determination as they silently asked one another for opinions, their eyes filled with a mix of bewilderment that was only outmatched by their loyalties to their old partner. For a moment, none of them said anything but, as they shared their silent conversation, it was Hermione that made her choice: stepping forwards, she looked to Hunter's eyes with more light in hers than had ever been shown as the Horseman of War.

"I won't lose him…" she told Hunter, before lowering her head and entering the Pensieve.

Seeing this, the others knew what they had to do; standing with Hermione, Taren and Luna both lowered their heads into the Pensieve, finding themselves drawn into the memories of their ally and teacher…

_**FourHorsemen**_

Some ways from the trio's task of discovering the truth, Lily Black sat alone in Grimmauld Place – Sirius was out with an old friend celebrating him becoming a Father very soon – and, as she looked down to her swollen stomach, Lily smiled sadly before she asked, "Do you think your big brother was trying to tell us something…Michael?"

A soft kick seemed to reply to her question, almost as though her child, though unborn, seemed to understand his Mother's words from inside the womb. Then again, this was a child whose brother was the Horseman of Death and whose parents were the Lord and Lady of Azkaban, King and Queen of Dementors and Master and Mistress of Fear and Nightmares.

At this moment, nothing could surprise Lily about her child, though she couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness with her question: Dante _had_ been trying to say something, but Lily hadn't wanted to admit it to herself as she'd seen that dark look in his eyes the day that he'd discovered her to be cursed and broken by James' magic.

Yet, there was no denying it: Dante had almost been saying something when he'd made her and Sirius promise to take care of Michael and love him like her and James _should_ have loved Dante back when he was Harry.

He'd been saying…goodbye.

Maybe that was why he'd asked for the child to be named Michael: a child with a name of an angel of light born to parents who ruled the darkness of the wizarding world and to a brother who had darkness in him that couldn't be beaten.

Either way, Lily felt sad and, through her maternal instincts, or maybe it was her magical affinity with her child, she didn't know, but _something_ told her that Michael was also sad and worried for his big brother. That was why Lily was sat in the main room of the house surrounded by warm scents and with soft piano music playing nearby as she massaged her stomach, trying to soothe her child.

However, all that was cut off when a knock sounded at the door to the house; for a moment, Lily considered leaving it, in case it was someone that wanted to try and kill her, to take her away from Dante, but she also felt that was a little paranoid of her. After all, the house wasn't under the Fidelius and she had no reason to hide, not when she could move through the darkness and escape to Azkaban if the need was great enough. Yet, Lily didn't go to respond to the knocking unarmed; she held her wand in her hand, the shadows following her as they seemed to prepare to protect their Mistress.

Reaching the door, Lily conjured a makeshift chain for the door and, taking the handle, she opened it slightly, peering out onto the doorstep and, as she did, her eyes widened in shock as she saw James Potter standing there, alone and looking a lot worse for wear than what Lily had known.

With fire in her eyes at the sight of her ex, Lily hissed, "What the bloody hell are _you_ doing here, James? You're not welcome anywhere near me after what you did: leave me alone."

"Please…" James gasped, his voice weakened by fatigue and a sense of sadness as he told her, "Lily, Lady Black, please…before you shut me out, please…can we…can we talk? I'm unarmed; there's no-one here, but me; please…I just want to talk to you."

"After what you put me through?" asked Lily, trying to keep her voice and her emotions as level as possible, but it was hard because of the _hatred_ that she felt for James, "Why should I give you the time of day? Now leave me alone!"

"Please Lil," James pleaded, his eyes on her as he told her, "Please…just this one time and then…then I promise, I'll _never_ bother you again: please…just five minutes."

He didn't seem to be aggressive, but Lily had lowered her defences before and look what had happened: she'd nearly lost her eldest son, her baby, to his jealousy and spite and then he'd cursed her mind and made her little more than his sex slave and punch-bag. Then again, Lily knew that he couldn't actually try anything: he said he was unarmed, but she wasn't: she had the shadows, her magic and, if need be, she'd have one of her spiritual wraiths here in seconds to take him out…though Dante had wanted his soul for himself.

Releasing the chain, Lily opened the door and, with the same fire in her eyes that had actually attracted James to her in the first place, she told him, "Come in…you get one chance…and then you're gone!"

James nodded and walked into the house, following Lily's directions into the lounge where she sat him down and kept her wand on him, her voice still cold as she asked, "What do you want?"

"I want to apologise," James told her, his voice showing sadness and sincerity, but Lily kept her guard up, "To you, to Dante, to Sirius and…most of all…to what…what I tried to take from you: please, Lily…please forgive me."

"Why?" asked Lily, indicating the mantelpiece where her only remaining photo of Dante back when he was Harry was in the centre of the other pictures – the photo she'd given Dante before he'd rescued her – her eyes filled with fury as she hissed, "You're a monster, James Potter: you expect me to forgive you for ostracising our son, leaving him at an orphanage that was the same place that spawned the _thing_ that tried to kill us, disowning him and trying to abuse me beyond any humane levels? How can I forgive you for _that? _You sent Dante away, made him feel broken and alone, sent him into your best friend's family whom you then turned your back on because he was supporting my baby and not your _precious_ Jackass Jason! I mean what happened, James? Harry, Dante and Jason were closer than close before…_that_ night and then you turn your back on Dante because he's apparently nobody. What sort of Father are you?"

"That's just what Kassandra asked me," James explained, looking to Lily's eyes as he added, "She…she was so angry with me after our parley with you and Ha-Dante that she left home! Elizabeth went with her and, when she asked if Jason was coming, he…he…oh Lily, he broke down."

"What do you mean?" asked Lily, keeping her wand on James as she saw his tears; as far as she was concerned, they were nothing more than crocodile tears.

"He found our old album," James explained, his words hesitant from his tears as he addressed his ex, "And…inside it, there…there were pictures of Dante and…and he was helping Jason; when I…when I asked him where those pictures came from, he said…he said they were taken before…before we sent Dante away. He wasn't a slimy Slytherin all the time, especially not around his brother; he…he was a member of the family and I…I never realised it."

"No," Lily agreed, her voice laced with rage as she addressed James, "You just let Albus convince you that it was for _the Greater Good_ that Dante was sent away: I know about those pictures, James, because _I _took them; me, Severus, Sirius _and_ Remus all took them when _you_ were milking the fame and fortune that came with our son. And now, when it's all come out that you worshipped the _wrong_ son do you suddenly regain your heart: you _truly_ are filth, James. Dante will never forgive you and neither will I."

"I didn't change because he told the truth," James muttered, his words nearly-silent as he looked into Lily's green eyes, "I…I changed…the day he…he nearly killed me: when…when the Dementor was…tormenting me and his…his Power was making me see my death, I really saw…I saw his sadness, I saw him being alone and descending into darkness…I saw everything I always despised being forced…on my own son."

"You saw the light."

Lily looked past James' chair, her eyes wide with surprise as she saw Sirius standing there, his wand pointed at the back of the chair where James was sat, Remus standing next to him, his eyes filled with as much rage as the rest of them. Then again, with the moon so close, it was probably a good thing that Lily and Sirius were there…otherwise Remus could have and probably _would_ have ripped James apart.

"Yes," James whispered, looking behind his chair to Sirius' cold glare, "Sirius…I didn't…I tried not to see it, but…he was different not because he was dark…he was changed, like you were when you were a kid, because…"

"He was a survivor," Sirius remarked, his voice laced with his own rage as he explained, "Like my family turned their backs on me before I became Lord Azkaban, Dante's turned on him and he did whatever he had to do to survive. If that meant ostracising himself and apparently disrespecting his kid brother, then so be it. But then you made everything worse because you never saw it, James: you never saw how those two loved one another and cared for each other. In fact, did you know that the day you and Lily took Dante to Wool's, Jason came to me?"

"He did?" asked James, earning a nod from Lily; she'd heard this story before.

"He used the Floo and came straight here," Sirius explained, his voice holding a slightly calmer edge as he explained his story, "He asked where Harry had gone and why his room was empty; when I asked him why he would care about that being the big holy Boy-Who-Lived, he started crying and said that Harry, the same Harry that now calls himself Dante, was the only person except for me and Lily that didn't care about his title. Harry was there for him when you weren't around and, when you were, they considered it a game: a little imaginary game to see just how much Daddy cared about both his sons. When Harry saw that you didn't, he was sad and so, with help from Jason, he took his time to learn and even helped Jason learn, not because he was the Boy-Who-Lived, which we now know he wasn't, but because he was his brother…so, my question to him was what he would do next."

"And…what did he do, Sirius?" asked James, actually startled at the Slytherin-like slyness of his own son with how he changed to survive the lack of love shown by the monster that was James Potter.

"He said he would never forget Harry," Sirius explained, wiping at his eye as he tried not to remember how he'd felt that day, "But over time, he began to and he began to become cold and hard against the memory of his own brother. Then, the day I confronted you about Harry's disowning, Jason came to me again and actually said sorry…_for you!_ He said he didn't want to lose me as his godfather, but I told him that I had no choice and then, James Bloody Potter, the boy that I called my little pup held me and made me _swear_ that I would do what he clearly couldn't anymore. That I'd look after Harry…and I did: I also vowed that I'd never tell him of our talks, but every time I saw those two confront one another and I heard about Harry's, Dante's hatred for Jason, I was sad and sorely tempted to break my promise…but I never did."

James felt a cold weight anchor itself into his chest as he considered what Sirius was saying; it was like a secret watcher and a promise that changed everything: a warrior choosing a side all for the sake of a protection and a promise to another.

He didn't know why, but James suddenly had an image of Severus Snape standing there telling this story.

Looking from Sirius to Lily, James coughed before he bowed his head and, gulping hard, he told Lily, "Jason's gone back to Hogwarts with the others, but…I don't know if he'll come home: Lily, please…write to him…help him…before I lose another son."

"I think you lost Jason a long time ago, James," Sirius remarked, meeting Lily's eyes before he sighed as he added, "But I'll write to him: it makes sense that I do it given the secrets he told me."

"Not that Dante may ever forgive you _or_ him for what you did to him," Lily added, her voice hard as she explained, "Especially since he's said goodbye."

"What?"

_**FourHorsemen**_

_Hunter's Flashback Start_

Watching from the window of Hogwarts, Hunter Redgrave kept his mind focused on the task of preparing his young lord for everything that lay ahead: he knew that the time was coming and that the First would visit the Lord and, when that happened, he just hoped that Dante was prepared.

Packing up his things, Hunter glanced once to his katana, which lay against the stand in his office, before he sighed and, approaching it, he unsheathed the blade and held it up, turning it around so that his reflection was in the blade.

His…and the white-haired man standing behind him.

"Hello Lucifer."

"Hunter," Lucifer replied, his skull-headed cane pressed into the ground of the office as he asked, "How are they doing?"

"Death is ready," Hunter explained, his voice filled with hard emotion as he explained, "He chooses to follow this path through to the end and has nothing that will stop him, but…I can't help but worry for him."

"I know," The First replied, his voice as cool and slick as ever, "The soul he devoured…it is not yet complete."

"But he doesn't know that," Hunter agreed, turning to face The First as he spoke, "Dante actually believes he has vanquished Tom Riddle: if he were to learn the truth, then…"

"Then his fate would be chosen for him," The First explained, "Death must wander the lands and claim the souls of the condemned, but if Dante Black were to target a specific soul, he would have no choice other than to become Death and, for that, his mortal body would have to be destroyed."

"And how would that happen?" asked Hunter, his voice filled with curiosity as he packed up his things, "The others follow him to the end and his Chosen sticks close to him; the only way for him to embrace that fate would be if he…"

"Absorbed the full power of the Seals of Armageddon," The First finished, his face twisted into a sinister grin as he nodded once, "And embraced the full power of the Rider that he has become: the Pale Rider."

"But he's not going to embrace it," Hunter mused, facing The First as he added, "Not without…well, without the truth being revealed and even then, he'd have to actually _want_ to do this, but how…"

"Do you really need to ask?" asked The First, his voice now edged by a demonic growl as he told Hunter, "You more than anyone should know that I can be extremely persuasive when I need to be."

_Flashback End_

Withdrawing their heads from the Pensieve, the ex-Horsemen glared at Hunter before Taren asked, "So the First _tricked_ Dante into accepting the offer of power, is that what I'm hearing from that little memory, Hunter?"

"Yes, Taren," Hunter replied, his voice softened by guilt and purpose as he explained, "In that other realm, you four were brought before the First and told about Tom Riddle and, when Dante accepted, it sealed the deal…not for you, but for him. The First is good at making deals and, where the Horsemen are concerned, there is nothing that he will let stand in his way."

"That explains that day," Hermione remarked, recalling how they'd met the First…

_Flashback Start_

_"What do you want with us, Mephistopheles?" asked Dante, his hands now holding a chained set of reins tied to Ragnarok._

_"To help you fulfil your destiny, of course," Mephistopheles laughed, "The darkness that you thought you had claimed is not truly gone, Death and, without my help, you will not have the power to destroy it once and for all."_

_"What darkness?" asked Dante, hating the thought and realisation that this…creature was holding his life in his hands, "Do you mean Voldemort? That's impossible; I devoured his soul."_

_"Did you?" asked Mephistopheles, lifting his cane from the ground before he smashed it down; as if on command, a grey substance began to spread across the ground, forming a mirror that, with another commanding crash of the Devil's cane, revealed the image of the night that Dante had taken the Philosopher's Stone. "Look closer."_

_Dante did as he was asked and, as he looked closer, he saw it: the thin veil of darkness that trailed away from the chamber while Dante himself took the stone from the mirror._

_"He's…he's still alive," Dante growled, the flames around Ragnarok heightening as the anger of the Horseman was felt by the stallion. "And he's coming back."_

_"Not exactly questions, but yes and yes," Mephistopheles answered, the mirror surface vanishing beneath him as he walked amongst the Horsemen, his voice reaching each of them as he explained, "You may have touched the surface of your powers, my Horsemen, but without additional help, help which can only be provided by the powers inside you and those who wield them, you will not be strong enough to escape the true destiny before you. Despite the history behind your mantles, it is not Armageddon that is your fate, but the true balance of the world: the war of light and darkness must be kept between the Powers and not the mortals."_

_"So what do you want from us?" asked Taren, watching as the Devil stroked each of their steeds in turn before he stood before the four of them once more._

_"Come with me to our world," Mephistopheles explained, "Learn the power inside you: master it and command it; then, when the time is right, I will return you to the mortal plane as Full Horsemen and you shall be able to bring about the Balance once again. You, Death," he pointed his cane at Dante before he explained, "You will get the chance to destroy the darkness that haunts you once and for all and, when you do that, I will release you from the obligation of being my Horseman. You may keep the Power for yourself, but once you destroy the darkness and send Tom Marvolo Riddle to me where he belongs, then you may have your life back…so, do we have a deal?"_

_"How long will we be…gone for?" asked Hermione, watching Dante with strength in her eyes that she tried to share with her partner-in-fate._

_"A couple of years in the mortal time," Mephistopheles answered, "But a lot longer to the rest of you: that is the deal and it is the only way to save your own fates."_

_"Do it!"_

_Dante's sudden exclamation had the Horsemen and Mephistopheles surprised; meeting the blackened eyes of the Devil with his own, Dante added, "I swore that I would do whatever it took to bring him down and I will: so do whatever you need to, Mephistopheles: for the chance to grind Voldemort's ashes into the fires of hell, I'll do anything! Take me, teach me, do whatever you wish with me: I am Death and I will feed on his soul, his true soul."_

_"Dante," Hermione insisted, "Let's stop for a mo…"_

_She was cut off by another loud crack from the cane of Mephistopheles, her voice turning into a cry as the shadows and the powers within them swallowed the Horsemen into its embrace, taking them away from the lives they knew._

_And on towards the fate that they had chosen for themselves…_

_Flashback End_

"He manipulated Dante's fears," Hermione remarked, her words filled with rage as she faced Hunter, "And when he accepted, he began training Dante in the full powers, including…how to…"

"Take the power from the Seals," Hunter finished, indicating each of the trio as he told them, "That's what Dante did and, for that, I'm sorry: I thought that the First would let Dante achieve his destiny _with _you, not without you. That's why you're his Chosen, Lady Hermione: you're the light that shines through the darkness he created for himself. Now…I don't know what's happening, but the First never loses and, this time, he's going after the biggest gift of all, Dante's soul."

"So what do we do about it?"

Hermione, Taren and Luna all rounded on the newcomer, their eyes filled with fury and determination as they saw Jason Potter standing there, his wand on the floor in front of him, his eyes filled with his own sense of determination as he looked to each of the Horsemen. "I may not know the full story about this, but it's taken me nearly seven years to finally admit that I was wrong to challenge him: he was right when he told me that Black or not, Potter or not, we're still blood. He's still my brother and I'm not going to deny him the right to look me in the eye and tell me that I was wrong. So, what do we do about it?"

"Why should we trust _you_ to help him?" asked Taren, his voice filled with rage as he explained, "You forced him into this with your darkness and your hatred; you challenged him because he was a Gryffindor; you're the fool here, Potter."

"Will you shut your mouth for one moment, Snape?" asked Jason, his voice filled with his own fury as he lifted his hand and, with a flick of his wrist, he summoned what looked to be a sword of his own, his eyes on each of the Horsemen as he explained, "This came to me two years ago, but it was never meant for me: it's the Sword of Godric Gryffindor and it rightfully belongs to my brother…whether the forces outside like it or not. As for how _you_ can trust me, the simplest answer is that you can't, but Harry, sorry, Dante never gave up on seeing me for the boy that I was and not the false hero of this world. It's a debt that I now choose to repay and, no matter what anyone says, I'm _not_ going to give up on him: not again."

"Again?" asked Hermione.

"Long story," Jason replied, handing the sword to Hunter before he asked, "Can you do _anything_, Professor? He doesn't deserve to die: if anyone should…it's me…but I'm not him, I'm not this…Horseman or whatever, I'm just…me; so, what can we do?"

"Plenty," Hunter explained, unsheathing his katana before he explained his point, "As an emissary of the First, I was gifted with the means to access that other world even without a Shadowmare like yours. If I open the Rift, then…we can save him, but Dante _has_ to relinquish the power, otherwise his soul…it's going to be destroyed."

"Not on my watch," Jason growled, his confidence and strength for his ex-brother surprising the others as he looked to Hunter and commanded, "Open it!"

_**FourHorsemen**_

"So come on, Tom: let's finish this the way that we started it: _TOGETHER!_"

Then, to the shock and disbelief of the Dark Lord, Death began to transform: his skin seemed to become consumed by blackness and fire that spawned around him, his eyes now fully blacked out while his hands seemed to extend, transforming into razor-sharp claws that shone like blades on the ends of his hands. His body seemed to grow to nearly ten feet in height, his skeleton showing through his flesh before it was enveloped by a long black shadow that flowed over Dante's body like a rushing river.

Once he was covered from head-to-foot, Dante's face became enveloped by a black hood beneath which only two shimmering emerald orbs could be seen, a pair of huge metallic wings with dagger-like wing tips sprouted from his back. As a final mark of his power, Dante lifted one of his clawed hands and took a hold of his scythe, the power flowing freely through him and around him, shaking the world of the Horsemen and, opposite him, startling and frightening Tom Riddle as he looked upon the creature that had been spawned opposite him.

"A Demon," he whispered, the response from the demon opposite him being a deep rattling hiss that seemed to freeze every ounce of energy in the air, before, with a screech like that of a giant dragon, the demon flew forwards, slicing the scythe through the air. Dodging the attack, Voldemort fired off a Killing Curse, but, like his previous attempts, the curse was swallowed by shadows, the emerald orbs of the demon's eyes fixed on Voldemort as it lifted one of its hands, the shadows of its cloak now whipping outwards like tendrils and wrapping themselves around Riddle's body.

Clenching his fist, Dante's new form seemed to command the power of the shadows as the wrappings crushed Tom's arms and legs, the pain erupting inside the Dark Lord as he screamed in fury, firing off a few more curses that were easily deflected by the darkness.

"What _are_ you?" Demanded Voldemort, using his own dark magic to heal his wounds as he staggered to his feet, "I will _not_ die here, Black: you may have hidden your identity, but I _will_ finish what I started…_DIE!_"

Swirling his wand through the air, Voldemort summoned a giant serpent from the flames around them, using his magic to guide the snake as it was formed from the complex art of Fiendfyre; when the snake's power collided with Dante's darkened form, the Horseman let out a scream of his own, but he didn't weaken. Instead, he seemed to become consumed by the flames and, when the Dark Lord released the snake, he laughed coldly as he asked, "Is that all, whimpering child? Is that all that the Big Lord Death can do? _I_ am the true power over Death and I will defeat it again."

"Do you know what?" asked Dante, his voice deep and gravelly as he seemed to emerge from the flames, his body now dressed in a skin-tight leather suit and jacket that clung to his frame with a sense of symbiosis with its commander. His dark skin and clawed hands were gone and, in their place, Dante was now a winged monstrosity of his former self: his hands were replaced by clawed skeletal talons and his face…it was no longer human. Instead, there was now just a skull that seemed to be enveloped by emerald-green flames, the image of the demon opposite Voldemort sending the Dark Lord stumbling back while Dante growled out, "You talk too much, Riddle."

"How?" Roared Voldemort, firing off another blast of Fiendfyre, but his rage turned into fear when Dante opened the jaws of his skull and swallowed the flames, the power only adding to him as he lifted his hand and summoned his scythe, coating its blade in the flames that surrounded his skull.

"Tasty," laughed Dante, swooping towards Voldemort and, once again, missing him by inches with the scythe; when Voldemort retreated, Dante turned and hissed, "But not as tasty as your soul…believe me, I know! Now, I will taste it again and you, Riddle, will _die!_"

With a flare of his left hand, Dante summoned a circle of flames that sealed him in with Voldemort, the eyes of the Dark Lord wide with new fear as Dante approached, his voice coming out in a menacing, demonic laugh, "Nowhere to run, Riddle: you're _mine!_"

"DANTE!"

Turning to face the source of the voice, Dante's eye-sockets widened as he saw Hermione, Taren, Luna and, the biggest surprise of all, Jason standing on the edge of the circle, Hunter Redgrave standing with them, each of them looking upon him with horror as Hermione gasped, "What…what is that?"

"That," answered Hunter, summoning a shield to protect them from the attacks that could come their way, "Is the _true_ form of the Horsemen: the _true_ Rider: Dante…you…you've found it."

"Get _them_ out of here," roared Dante, summoning a blaze of flames to keep Voldemort away from his former companions. With the Dark Lord trapped in the flames, Dante moved through the circle and glared at each of the newcomers, "This isn't your place: it's mine!"

WHACK!

A sharp snap sounded from Dante's jawbone as Jason smacked him, wincing from the pain of the flames that enveloped Dante's skull; as Hunter healed the wound, Jason snarled, "What did you think was going to happen? You give up on them so easily that they just let you die? No, Dante, you're going to survive this…you're not a monster."

"Says you!" snarled Dante, fixing his jawbone back into place as he hissed at Jason, "You made me do this: you turned me into this…this evil; now it will end and you'll finally have your wish, Jason Potter: me…_gone!_"

"And what about your parents?" asked Jason hotly, his voice stronger than it had ever been in the presence of his ex-brother, "What about your new baby brother? Are you going to abandon them just because you _have_ to become Death? No, Dante, you're not Death: hell, you're not even Dante: deep down, still beneath all that darkness and Slytherin bravado, you're still Harry James Potter, my…my big brother and if you think I'm going to let you abandon us again…you can think again. This isn't how it ends, Dante: you're meant to leave here, have your life back and emerge victorious over _everything_ you have thrown against you. You don't become a monster…that…that's someone else's job."

"And we're not leaving," Hermione added, her fear for the thing that was her Chosen overpowered by her love for him, "Because we stand together, Dante: we may not be Horsemen anymore, but we're still kin: you, me, Taren and Luna and, yes, if he chooses it now, Jason as well. So let go of this: give me back the Dante that I love."

"I…" Dante turned away from them, his voice laced with regret as he looked to the fiery vortex that sealed Voldemort inside, "I don't have a choice: this is my fate."

"Fate schmate," Jason growled, "You're the Boy that _defies_ Death, not becomes him: you overpowered Death itself so many times that you _do_ have a choice: you're…you're the Master of Death, Dante…and…and I'm sorry…I shouldn't have turned my back on you…I should have helped you, big brother. So don't you give up on yourself, because there are people here that aren't ready to give up on you."

"Jason…" Dante growled, looking back to his ex-brother, but instead of seeing a hope for deception or making Dante accept this, the Horseman only saw sincerity and, for a second, Dante actually thought that he saw a tear roll down Jason's cheek, the bright turquoise blue of those eyes reflecting in the darkness of Dante's eyes. He was telling the truth…and that seemed to warm Dante more than any fire ever could.

Suddenly, Dante doubled over in pain, his fires igniting to new heights of strength and force as he felt like his soul was burning inside him. Avoiding his friends and his ex-brother, Dante stumbled back through the flames, his eyes on the spot where Voldemort was still trapped, but there, next to him, stood a familiar dark-suit-wearing, white-haired, cold-eyed figure that watched Dante with loathing and hatred.

"You have what you want, Death," snarled the First, his eyes on Dante as he hissed out his words, "And yet you throw away the power: for this? For one who turned his back on you? Then if you shall not oblige our agreement, your soul will _burn_ and you will be mine by force."

"I don't think so," Hunter snarled, leaping through the flames and, charging towards the First, he plunged his katana through his chest, a gasp escaping the First's lips as his body seemed to glow with black light that travelled through the katana and into Hunter, the once-emissary of the First hissing to him, "I serve only Lord Death…I serve Dante!"

Then, with a loud scream, the First exploded in a shower of blackness, the remains being pushed into Hunter, who rose and, turning to Dante, he lifted his katana once, severing the burning feeling inside Dante's soul.

"There," he remarked, "Now finish it, Dante…and you will have your freedom."

"What did…" Dante began, but stopped when he saw an object flying to him through the circle; extending his hand, Dante gasped as he saw his flesh returning, his skin now paling with the full power of the Horsemen that coursed through his body as he grabbed the object. Looking down, Dante saw a silvery hilt with a ruby in the pommel, the words _Godric Gryffindor_ written across the blade.

"Only a real hero is worthy of that," Jason exclaimed, watching as the sword's blade became enveloped in white flames, the same flames now surrounding Dante like an aura, "And that hero was never me: now…Dante…do what you promised: finish him."

"With pleasure," Dante growled, hefting the sword before, with a powerful lunge, he seemed to fly on wings of light and darkness through the flames, the sword's edge shining brightly as Dante plunged the sword into the black heart of Lord Voldemort, the eyes of the Dark Lord widening as he looked into the black eyes of the Horseman. "You can't live in fear, Riddle: in the end…Death conquers all."

Voldemort's body began to crackle and spit with the energy that rushed through the blade, his skin peeling away as steam rose from him, his robes catching fire and smoking heavily, his eyes on Dante all the while as he whispered one word, "Live…"

Then, in a bright explosion of fire and magic, Lord Voldemort exploded, the last remnant of his soul flying across to Hunter's blade where it was absorbed into the metal. At the same time, the circle of flames died down allowing Dante to reach his friends, each of them embracing one another before the two ex-brothers faced one another, Dante laying the Sword of Gryffindor at his feet, before he rose and, facing Jason, he seemed to wait for something.

Jason, on the other hand, approached his ex-brother and, meeting his eyes, he sniffed once before he lowered his head and whispered, "I'm sorry…Harry."

Dante, looking once to Hunter, nodded his head before he embraced Jason, the young Potter Heir sobbing into Dante's clothes as the Horseman whispered, "Harry forgives you…and so do I."

As the two embraced one another, Hunter smiled once and lifted his hand, calling on his new power to remove the seal from Dante, which also removed the taint of evil from inside him that had been born through hatred and spite. Now, two brothers were reunited and, even though they were distant families, Hunter Redgrave, the _new_ Master of the First Powers, knew that such a revelation wouldn't change their future.

_**FourHorsemen**_

With help from Hunter, the four students as well as Jason Potter returned to Grimmauld Place where they found James and Elizabeth and Kassie sharing drinks with Sirius, Remus and Lily, a clearing of the throat from the new First indicating their presence. When Lily and James met the eyes of the boys they'd brought into the world, they felt a light return to them that had been gone for so long, Lily forsaking everything and running towards her blood-sons and embracing both of them, kissing both of them while she wept for their return.

"Dante…" Sirius began, but stopped when Dante raised his hand.

"You don't have to say anything, Dad," Dante explained, releasing his ex-brother before he approached James, his eyes locked onto his birth-father with a sense of foreboding, before the expression changed into one of calm acceptance as he explained, "And neither do you: I forgive him, but if you want my forgiveness, you'll do one thing for me…Lord Potter."

"What?" asked James, surprised at the formality of the young Black Prince; nonetheless, he watched as Jason and Dante shared a glance before Dante answered him.

"I would be honoured if you would become my little brother's godfather…and allow Jason and I to become blood-brothers."

James only had to look to his son's eyes to give his answer, "Yes…and Dante?"

"Yes?"

"I'm…I'm sorry."

"So am I," Dante replied, returning to Jason where the two shared a high-five and a laugh, both of them appearing to have put the past behind them.

Back with Sirius, James heaved a sigh before he told his old friend, "They really _did_ care for one another…and they still do: by the way, Sirius, you know the Marauders are still one short?"

"Is that so…Prongs?" asked Sirius, earning a laugh from James while Remus held both of them together, the three of them reunited like old times as the team of friends and family enjoyed each other's company.

_**FourHorsemen**_

At 11:59pm on Halloween Night, Lily Black gave birth not only to a son, but a daughter as well, the fact that she'd been carrying twins surprising every member of the extended family as Dante congratulated his Mother and Father, James still honoured to accept his godfather's title while Sirius had resumed his place as Jason and now Kassie's godfather.

Michael Hunter Black had his Father's black hair and a slightly stronger shade of green eyes than his Mother's that were more like viridian; his middle name was given in thanks to the force that had saved Dante from his darkness and helped reunite two now-blood-brothers.

As for the twin sister, she was named Christy Artemis Black, the middle name coming from the Black's tradition of astronomical names, though this one came from a Greek Goddess and, unlike her brother, she had her Mother's red hair with bright, almost illuminating, violet eyes that were filled with innocence and cheekiness.

As the new parents were congratulated, Dante walked out of the Hogwarts Hospital Wing and made his way down to the Defence Professor's office where he found Hunter standing at his desk, packing the last of his things into his cases. After becoming the First, which was a process that only a weapon of the Netherworld could perform – like his katana or Dante's scythe had he wanted it – Hunter had handed the Defence Position to James Potter while Sirius had become a Duelling Instructor, both of which were positions approved by Dumbledore on the condition that he leaves them alone. Voldemort was dead and the fate of the young teens and their families were now their own.

"I was wondering when you would get here," Hunter remarked, turning to face Dante, who inclined his head in response, which amused Hunter as he added, "Don't bow to me, Dante: if it wasn't for your courage, I may never have become the First."

"I just wanted to say thank you," Dante explained, looking to Hunter with renewed respect, "For everything: most of all for saving my life and my soul, but thanks…however, I have a question."

"Concerning the unfinished business of your parents' legacies?" asked Hunter, earning a nod from Dante; he wasn't surprised that the man could read his mind: he _was_ the First after all. Packing away his robes, Hunter took a deep breath before he explained, "Michael and Christy will gain the nobility of Azkaban and command the Dementors when they turn eighteen; at that time, I'll have one of _my_ emissaries come and help them, but, until then, Azkaban will be watched by me. Your parents, like you, have lost their powers and passed them onto the twins, but unlike you, they won't be drawn into the darkness: for them, it's like the old saying, there is no good or evil…"

"There is only power," Dante finished, heaving a sigh before he nodded once and added, "Hunter…why did you do it? Become the First, I mean?"

"To save you," Hunter explained, turning to face Dante and, placing a hand on his shoulder, he continued, "Your blood-brother convinced me that you weren't beyond saving and your friends reminded me of why I kept an eye on you to begin with. So, as the First, I had the means to release them and you from the powers inside you so that you could make your own destiny. I've also taken the Stone from Hermione and removed your links to the scythe and their Horses: Luna can keep the Elder Wand and Neville has the Cloak: you now hold the Sword that you slew Voldemort with and that will stay with you. As for Hermione, the bond between you will remain: you and her are joined together until the day you die at which time, I'll come for you…and we'll depart as friends."

"Like the legend," Dante laughed, before he looked up suddenly as he asked, "Hang on, did you say _their_ Horses?"

"You heard that, did you?" asked Hunter, smiling slyly as he nodded past Dante, who turned and, as he did, he gasped when he saw Ragnarok, decked out in reins and a glossy white coat with black highlights, his eyes now a deep shade of green that matched Dante's. "I figured you deserved a reward for your work, Dante: he's yours and your family's until the End…"

"Thank…" Dante began, but stopped when he turned back only to find the classroom empty, the only sign of Hunter having been there being a parchment with the symbol of the Horsemen and a message written underneath it;

_Til next we meet…_

"Dante?" Hermione's voice cut off any further thoughts as she called out to him, "Come on: Michael and Christy want to see their big brother!

"Coming!" Dante called, stroking Ragnarok's soft coat before he added, "You know, I think you deserve a new name: Ragnarok is too evil…so maybe…Orion."

'_Orion?_' asked the Shadowmare, his voice making Dante smile as _that_ perk was still with him.

"Yeah," Dante remarked, leaving the office, before he turned and, looking to the desk, he smiled as he whispered his last words, "The Hunter…"

Then, he was gone as was Orion as he vanished through the shadows, leaving nothing but an empty classroom…

**Chapter 15 and it's done: the End of The Four Horsemen and what an ending; a new First, the Horsemen free and Dante with twin siblings and reunited with his estranged family.**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story and kept it going to this intense conclusion and, I'll say it now, I'm SORRY for the obvious references in this chapter, but I wanted it to go out with a bang and now it has.**

**Enjoy my other works in progress and, as always, don't forget to read and review…**

**THE END**


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